Businessmen seek reduction in power tariff, oppose proposed hike

Ludhiana: Most of the industrialists present in the meeting with the PSERC and PSCPL officials raised the issue of high power rates and urged chairman of PSERC Kusumjit Sidhu and other officials to reduce the rates of power and not to go ahead with the PSPCL’s demand to hike the power rates in the state.
Jaswinder Thukral, president of Janta Nagar Small Scale Manufacturers Association, said, “PSPCL should consider hiring line men at Rs. 10,000 per month instead of having a chairman who draws a salary of Rs. 5 lakh per month so that the department is able to run the operations smoothly. The commission should take sympathetic view of the condition of industry and rather than hiking the existing power rates, tariff should be reduced”.

Gurmeet Singh Kular, president of Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisations (FICO) claimed that the power supply in the state particularly to the industry was erratic and even if there was slight rain there were long power cuts. “The PSERC should implement strict measures to overcome these problems. Besides improving the quality of the power supply, the two part tariff implemented by the PSPCL should be done away with, which was leading to rise in tariff between Rs. 8 to Rs. 13 per unit.”

Badish Jindal, president of Fedearation of Punjab Small Industries Association pointed out that the PSPCL has spent Rs. 1500 crore and roped in a private company to improve its infrastructure in the city but even after spending such a staggering amount the condition of tangled wires and dangling poles had not changed in the city. “Neither the department nor government is bothered about this issue and every other day due to the wires mess, there are short circuits and other mishaps,” he said.

PSERC chairman Kusumjit Kaur Sidhu after hearing the grievances of the businessmen assured them that the Commission would take a sympathetic view of their problems and decide the next tariffs accordingly. Other businessmen present in the meeting included president of Fasteners Manufacturers Association of India Narinder Bhamra, President of United Cycle and Parts Manufactures Association Inderjit Singh Navyug and senior vice president Pradeep Wadhwan.