Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)

Mangalore Nov 14: An agitation was launched at the Chembugudde Mescom office by CPI (M), Ullal zone activists to protest against the move of the department to fix deposits on electricity consumers, here on Tuesday November 14.  The protestors were demanding that the deposits given by consumers should be returned back to them by the authorities.

Acceding partly to this demand, Mescom officials agreed to temporarily suspend the collection of deposits. The department also agreed to convene a meeting in which consumers, police officials and traders would be invited. Senior Mescom officials here stated that they will not collect deposits unless the meeting is convened for sorting out the matter, and case any officer comes to collect deposits, a consumer can file a complaint. Stringent action will be initiated against such an official, the official pacified.

A protest march was taken from Thokkottu bus stop to the Mescom office by CPI (M) party. CPI (M) had plans to stage protest in front of the Mesom office, along with several hundred consumers who had joined hands with them. Unfortunately, they could not do so as the police did not allow them to enter the Mescom premises.

This resulted in a verbal altercation between the police and the protesters. Fuming over Mescom official apathy in not hearing their grievances, CPM Ullal general secretary Ramachandra Ucchil and others forcibly entered the Mescom premises.

According to Ucchil Mescom was cheating the consumers by urging them to pay the deposits once again. Moreover he said they have been harassing the consumers by sending a notice to pay the deposits. Mescom consumers, he reiterated are not dacoits. Whereas officials are our (public) servants and if the consumer stops using electricity what will they do? he enquired.

Further he said 25 years back the consumers had paid a sum of Rs 300 as deposits. So why should consumers pay once again. If all the interest on deposits are calculated, Mescom has infact to pay to its consumers, he pointed out. District Samithi member Krishna Salian, Padmavathi Shetty, DYFI’s Arun Kumar among others led the protest.