Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Feb 11: Various electricity supply companies in the state have approached Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) with a request to approve proposed tariff hike of 80 paise per unit. They have contended that they are facing a shortage of 95 paise per unit in production cost at the tariff now in vogue.

KERC, which had invited for objections from power consumers for the above proposal, conducted public meeting to hear grievances from consumers covered by Mangaluru Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) at the auditorium of the office of Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner here on Tuesday February 10.

Mescom managing director, Chikkananjappa, explained that there is a price mismatch, as production cost of Rs 5.91 per unit is not matched by the average income of Rs 5.06 the company gets from the consumers. He also argued that expenditure on power purchase expenditure, interest, and other financial burdens have steeply gone up, necessitating a raise in the power cost. In general, there is a shortage of 95 paise per unit of power, he argued.

Various farmer organizations, consumer organizations, industries and others stoutly objected to the proposed hike at the said meeting. Many spoke on the occasion, saying that they will face losses if the power tariff is allowed to go up. Speaking on behalf of Consumers Forum, Venkatagiri Bhat noted that the amount pending from consumers and others to the electricity supply companies since 2006 happens to be Rs 393 crores, and if the companies effectively collect these dues, they can actually reduce the present price of power by 4.5 paise per unit. He drew attention to the fact that unlike other electricity supply companies, Mescom has been able to collect 98 percent of its dues. Therefore he insisted on collection of pending dues before proposing to increase power rate.

Narasimha Naik from Thirthhalli called upon electricity supply companies to stop wasteful expenditure like the one they did in purchasing nine auto restorers at the price of Rs 50 lac each, most of which have not been functional. There were demands for appointment of linemen, better service at counters of Mescom, and regulation of power theft.

Commission members, D B Manivel Raju, and H D Arun Kumar, were present.

Chairman of the commission, M R Srinivasamurthy, informed that 2,015 objections on proposed revision of power tariff had been received from all over the state, of which 1,900 are from within Mescom jurisdiction. He said that the commission would be submitting its report to the government by March 31, based on which the government will take a decision on revising the tariff. He appreciated honesty of power consumers under Mescom in paying their bills promptly, adding that the government has been asked to pay attention to Rs 390 crore due to electricity supply companies, and also to settle government's own dues to these companies.