Even as the High Court on Thursday slapped a stay on the proposed power tariff increase in the State from April 1, the Cuttak city unit of the CPI (M) on the day staged a massive protest against the tariff increase proposal and burnt an effigy of State Power Minister, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak here in front of the CESU office.
Hundreds of CPI (M) activists came in a rally from party office at Pilgrim Road holding lanterns in their hands and staged the protest meeting at Ranihat criticising the decision of the Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) and the State government's apathy towards the plight of the power consumers.
Addressing the protest meeting, the speakers criticised the double standard of the State government on the issue. “While on one hand the State Power Minister announced in the Assembly of filing a review petition in the Commission over the power tariff inrease, the same Minister was seen advocating for the cause of the Commission outside the Assembly”, said the city CPI (M) leader Jayadev Jena.
In Berhampur separate demonstrations were held in the city against the proposed power tariff increase in the State by the activists of the CPI (M), Berhampur Workers' and Employees' Coordination Committee (BWECC) and Ganjam Bar Association.
The CPI (M) activists also protested this proposed increase in different parts of south Orissa like Digapahandi, Sorada, Ganjam town in Ganjam district, Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district and Malkangiri town.
Activists of the CPI (M) led by State secretariat member Ali Kishore Patnaik, city unit secretary Basanta Nanda and State president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) Yudhisthira Behera held protest demonstration in front of the corporate headquarter of power distribution company Southco in the city.
They alleged that this power tariff increase by the Orissa Electricity Regulatory Council (OERC) is aimed at continuing the undue favours to Reliance Energy Limited (REL), which is a major player in power distribution in the State.
(Courtesy : The Hindu)
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