Consumers are miffed at the 15 per cent power tariff rise announced by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission with effect from Friday.
“Because of tariff revision, production cost of industrial products will increase and subsequently reflect on the market price. While the industries are already anticipating power cut in the coming months, the rise in tariff is objectionable,” says V.S. Manimaran, president of Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (Maditssia).
According to him, the TNERC conducted hearings only in places such as Chennai and Coimbatore to gauge public reaction to tariff revision, but not in Madurai. “In future, hearings should be conducted here as well,” Mr. Manimaran says. Consumers will have to pay 85 paise more for one unit of power from Friday. The previous revision was done in 2012, effecting a steep increase in power tariff.
B. Balashanmugam, a city-based photographer, notes that commercial consumers will have to set aside a huge chunk of their earnings to pay electricity bills. “Professionals like us are largely dependent on electricity. It will definitely burn a hole in our pockets,” he says.
The State should concentrate on production of power rather than purchasing it from outside to cut down cost, he adds. “Besides, we are experiencing around two hours of power cut a day. Power supply should remain uninterrupted,” Mr. Balashanmugam says.
R. Pattammal, a homemaker from Ponnagaram, has already advised her family members to reduce use of power. “It is going to cost us more from now on. We have to set aside more money for electricity bills because of the tariff rise,” she complains.
K. Balakumar, a resident of Ellis Nagar, is relieved that low-end consumers, whose households consume less than 500 units of power, will not be hit by the rise.
