Electricity consumers were visibly apprehensive of another dose of Fuel Surcharge Adjustment (FSA) at electricity consumers’ day organised by SPDCL Vijayawada circle office in Vijayawada on Wednesday.
Raising a host of questions at the meet, they urged the government to desist from plan, if any, to levy the FSA.
It would be a double blow if the FSA was also levied in the wake of steep hike in power tariff, they said, adding the power tariff hike should be rolled back.
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Andhra Chamber of Commerce and Industry secretary Chukkapalli Prasad said that the industry was facing hardship due to the FSA and power cut.
The Government was requested not to levy any additional FSA.
The commercial establishments that were having connections on mixed feeders were facing power supply problems, he pointed out.
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CPI(M) city secretary Ch. Babu Rao said that the tariff hike would hit the middle class and poor below their belly.
The electricity bill needed to explicitly tell the consumer about difference between date of disconnection and last date for payment. Many were ending up paying penalties due to confusion.
The officials were harassing the consumers on the plea of extra load, he pointed out.
K. Ramesh, a consumer, said that the officials were not accepting the bills if the service connection was not under their (Electricity Revenue Office) jurisdiction.
The SPDCL could link all the EROs so that the consumers could pay their bills at any of the EROs, he felt.
Farmers Associations Federation member Venugopal said that the electricity authorities were issuing the bills to agricultural connections also though power was free to agricultural connections.
He also wanted the officials to ensure a minimum of five-hour supply so that horticulture and agriculture would not be affected.
Superintending Engineer B. Mohana Krishna, Divisional Engineer (Technical) T. Venkateswara Rao, Vijayawada Town Divisional Engineer N. Venkateswarlu and others were present.