Brace for power shocker

Amritsar, December 28

After offering free electricity to domestic consumers up to 600 units in every billing cycle, the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) enhanced schedule of general charges such as meter rent, meter security, meter testing fee, security consumption, etc., by 100 per cent or more.

This is considered to be the sharpest hike of this year as per the PSERC order released on December 21.

Kamal Dalmia, an industrialist, said: “We have faith in the PSERC, but any increase will pinch the power consumers. Eighty-seven per cent of the households in the state received zero electricity bill in the past billing cycle. It was not less than a feat”.

Consumers from different strata of society reacted sharply to the move, but most of them want nominal power tariff in place of free electricity.

Vipan Sharma, a shopkeeper, said his electricity billing cycle, which fell between September 20 and November 17, showed the consumption of 347 units. Since the units consumed fell way short of 600 units, the entire charges were waived. He, however, voiced his concern over free power tariff. His previous bill was Rs 5,590 as 1,131 units were consumed in the last bill cycle between July 18 and September 19. He said nominal charges would ease financial burden from the middle income group families.

Gurinder Singh, an agriculturist, who has a 4-kV electricity meter, was not lucky enough as he got a bill of Rs 11,138 for the period between September and October. He also favoured nominal charges, instead of raising the power tariff.