Orissa High Court notice to government over exemption of power bills

CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the State Government on a PIL seeking direction for exemption of electricity tariff charges for both domestic and commercial consumers during the lockdown period.Prahallad Rout (82), a resident of Mancheswar in Bhubaneswar, filed the PIL and advocate Ranjan Kumar Rout appeared on his behalf during the hearing through video conferencing.

After a preliminary hearing, the division bench of Justice S Pujahari and Justice KR Mohapatra issued notice to the Secretary of Energy department.

The petition has sought waiver of electricity tariff from March till the lifting of lockdown for domestic consumers, excluding employees both in public and private sectors and pensioners.

The petition has also sought the same relief for commercial consumers.

The petitioner said the poor, self-employed persons, businessmen and people of different walks of life were facing distress condition as the lockdown had curtailed their source of earning, rendering them unable to pay their electricity bills.

“Therefore, the rebate of four  per cent on the electricity bills given for the lockdown period at the time of unemployment is unsustainable,” the petitioner contends.

The PIL has also sought exemption of monthly tuition fees for students of schools and colleges and providing rice, pulses and LPG cylinders to all citizens excluding employees both in public and private sectors and pensioners.

The bench also issued notices to the Principal Secretaries of School and Mass Education, Higher Education departments and Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department.

While issuing the notices, the bench said hearing on the PIL will be taken up after receipt of replies from all the respondents.The petitioner contended that the Government should not limit their relief packages only to the citizens having ration cards under national and State food security schemes.