That the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission (TNERC) is a divided house is a known fact. While Chairman S. Akshayakumar and G. Rajagopal seem to be on one side, the other member S. Nagalsamy is waging a lone battle.
In his latest dissent order, Mr. Nagalsamy did not agree with the views of his colleagues in extending the control period of tariff order on solar power.
Alleging that there were financial and legal violations, he said if all the applicants were allowed at the old rate of Rs 7.01 per unit by extending the control period, it will translate into a huge loss of Rs 23,000 crore to the Tangedco over the next 25 years, the validity of the contract period.
Even if we take a very conservative estimate of 2,500 MW, which are in the process of registration, there will be a loss of Rs. 10,700 crore. This loss has to be collected from the large number of consumers through increased tariff. He also raised questions as to who asked for this extension and why there was no consultation with the stakeholders.
The TNERC put both the majority and dissent orders on its website. And as can be expected, the Opposition political parties smell a scam. As is the general practice elsewhere, the majority should analyse the issues raised by the dissenting voice and provide fitting replies, the latest instance being the 14Finance Commission where the majority explained why the dissent holds no water. Unless the TNERC’s majority counters the dissent effectively with valid points, the Opposition will continue to raise its voice with allegations of scam in the power sector.
It is prayer time for the ruling party. Ever since the Karnataka High Court reserved its orders on the appeal of AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case, the ruling partymen, especially leaders from the western region, are taking to various forms of prayers.
Gaja Pooja, Aswarooda Maha Yagam, Vishnu Sahasranama Parayanam were held by the ruling party cadre in Coimbatore not only to propitiate the gods but also to please their leader. It started with temple visits, but pulling temple cars and huge homams followed. Coimbatore Mayor P. Rajkumar led the pack with his Gaja Pooja. It was followed by Municipal Administration Minister S.P. Velumani organising Aswarooda Maha Yagam. The latest is the Vishnu Sahasranama Parayanam by former Mayor S.M. Velusamy.
The leaders’ personal assistants not only take effort in organising the poojas but also make sure that the news about them gets published in the Chennai edition of publications so that ‘Amma’ will come to know of their loyalty.
The bonhomie that marked the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the time of the Lok Sabha elections is nowhere to be seen these days, with each party nurturing its own ambition for the 2016 Assembly elections. Only the DMDK and BJP seem to be on talking terms. At the DMDK’s women’s wing conference in Salem, one of the speakers thanked the BJP’s Union Minister Pon. Radhakrishnan for watching the conference live on television and expressing his amazement at the huge gathering. Talk of congeniality!
(Reporting by B. Aravind Kumar and Karthik Madhavan)
