New Delhi: The BJP on Friday came down heavily on Delhi Government for allowing power regulator DERC to effect a five per cent hike in power tariff just five months after increasing the rates by 22 per cent.
"This is an open loot of consumers in Delhi. This is really surprising as the DERC had just found severe irregularities in the accounts of the discoms," senior BJP leader VK Malhotra said.
The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission announced a five per cent hike in tariff on Thursday to adjust the power purchase cost of the distribution companies.
Accusing the discoms of fudging their accounts to seek hike in tariff, Malhotra demanded scrutiny of their accounts by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
The BJP leader also wondered how NDMC has been charging much less than the rates being charged by the discoms when the civic agency and private discoms buy power from the same power generation company.
"Besides charging for power consumption, the distribution companies are charging the consumers fixed charges also. There was no such fixed rates during the time of Delhi Electricity Board," he said.
The hike announced by DERC will come into effect from February one for a period of next three months following which the regulator is likely to review the increase based on cost of buying power by the distribution companies.
The hike will be applicable on energy consumption and not on fixed charges. Meanwhile, West Delhi MP Mahabal Mishra also criticized the decision to hike the tariff just five months after increasing it by 22 per cent.
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