CHENNAI: Electricity Minister P Thangamani came strong against DMK president MK Stalin over the latter’s remarks regarding electricity bills. He was discharged on Monday from a private hospital in the city, after Covid-19 treatment.
While Stalin has called for people to hoist black flags at their houses on Tuesday to protest ‘higher’ power bills, the minister charged DMK with misguiding people by making false accusations of discrepancies in the assessment of power bills. Claiming that the power tariff in the State is one of the cheapest in the country, he said Tangedco had no intention of making money by taking advantage of pandemic.
“The government has been providing free power supply of up to 100 units since 2016 benefitting 2.1 crore consumers. About 70 lakh consumers who consume less than 100 units make no payment,” he said.
Referring to Stalin’s statement in which he pointed out the concessions given to power consumers in Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra during lockdown, Thanagamani said Kerala had provided concession for 80 units, while Maharashtra has waived off bill for 5-8 per cent of the actual power consumption. “Do these States provide 100 units free to consumers,” he asked.
By comparing the power bills of State with those of Kerala and Maharashtra, did Stalin want the power tariff to be increased in the State, he asked. “A consumer number, which was quoted by Stalin during an interview in a private channel in support of his allegation, belongs to a commercial connection, not a domestic one.”