By Ovais Gull
Srinagar: Even as the pesky power cuts in Kashmir continued to irk the local consumers here especially in Old City areas, the Power Development Department (PDD) here has hiked the monthly tariff of many consumers by almost 50 percent.
The residents of several localities in Old City area here got shocked after their monthly tariff was hiked by almost 50 per cent in this month.
The areas including Habba Kadal, Gadood Bagh, Chanda Pora and other adjacent areas, are up in arms against the PDD for increasing the monthly tariff abruptly this month.
According to the locals, “The monthly electric bill for the residents of these areas come no less than a shocker with PDD “arbitrarily” hiking their fee by over 200 rupees in one go.”
Earlier, the residents were paying Rs 540 as monthly power tariff while as this month’s power tariff has been hiked by over Rs 200. “We belong to a poor family and how can we manage to pay more than 700 rupees as monthly power tariff,” they said.
One of the residents, Muhammad Sadiq of Habba Kadal said that the government seems reluctant to provide benefits to the people. “The department has failed to ensure adequate electricity supply but despite that they are increasing the monthly tariff as per their will,” he said.
Mukhtar Ahmad, another local told INS, “Without any proper procedure, PDD hiked the monthly tariff. This is completely an arbitrary decision. We appeal to the authorities to reconsider this unilateral hike otherwise we would be forced to take legal course.”
Meanwhile, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Basant Bagh division, Farooq Ahmad Wani told INS that the monthly tariff of several consumers has been hiked as per their usage. “We have inspected the localities following which the monthly tariff was hiked as per their usage,” he said.
He said that the consumers are using electric gadgets and other things due to which their tariff has been hiked.
