Vijayawada: CPM shows people’s ballot on power tariff hike

Vijayawada: The CPM lambasted the state government for hiking power tariff backdoor and attempting to install smart metres in each and every household. CPM executive committee member Ch Babu Rao attended the public hearing virtually organised by Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission from Visakhapatnam.

The CPM activists staged a protest demonstration at the office of the superintending engineer of the electricity department and presented the results of the people’s ballot against the power tariff hike to the APERC in virtual mode. Addressing the gathering, Babu Rao said that the Centre and the State government had handed over the electricity sector to Adani and Shirdi Sai companies.

The CPM activists raised slogans and showed placards against the true up charges, smart metres and proposal of privatisation of the Electricity department.

Earlier, the CPM conducted a people’s ballot across the city seeking people’s opinion on true up charges, smart metres. The CPM leaders said that 99 per cent of people showed their resentment against the smart metres and power tariff. Babu Rao criticised the Chief Minister for levying a burden of Rs 30,000 crore on people in the last five years.

CPM leaders B Ramana Rao, P Krishna, Chinna Rao, Sekhar, Ch Srinivas, Krishna Murthy, Adilakshmi and others were present.