The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday attempted to lay siege to the office of the Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) near Nehru Maidan here in protest against the latter’s decision to seek additional security deposit from consumers.
Members of the organisation took out a rally from the Mini-Vidhana Soudha and assembled in front of the Mescom sub-office. They wanted the company to withdraw its notices for payment of additional security deposit. CPI (M) Mangaluru City South secretary Sunil Kumar Bajal said that successive governments had made the life of the common man miserable by regularly increasing electricity charges.
Adding to it, the Mescom had been demanding payment of additional security deposit from consumers, ranging from Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,000, Mr. Bajal said. The demand had come as a shock for consumers, particularly those from the economically weaker sections. He alleged that Mescom officials would not answer queries properly on the issue.
Mr. Bajal recalled that the company had resorted to this tactic five years ago and had to withdraw the move following resistance from consumers and organisations. Leaders Vasudev Uchchil, Yogesh Jeppinamogru, Santosh Bajal, and Jayanthi B. Shetty were present. The protesters later submitted a memorandum to Mescom officials.
