A day after he was appointed vice-chairman of the Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti by its chairperson, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Union Minister Vijay Goel met Shabihul Hussain, the new chairman of DERC, regarding the rising electricity bills in the city.
Mr. Goel alleged that since the last many years, fixed charges have been increased six times without any reason; notice is given to increase the fixed load, but no notice is given to the consumer when the fixed load is reduced, so that he can save money.
During the lockdown, when most of the commercial establishments, shops, factories remained closed, in the name of fixed charges, “huge recovery” was made from the public, in which relief should be given, Mr. Goel demanded.
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He said that apart from the per unit price of electricity, power firms were charging many “wrong charges” such as power purchase cost agreement, pension charge and surcharge, about which companies were “not able to give any account”.
“Even in the name of giving new electricity connection, the power companies are committing corruption. On one hand, electricity connections have been provided everywhere in slums, illegal colonies, but now in buildings higher than 15 metres, connections are being given by spending money on corruption,” he alleged.