CHENNAI: AIADMK has scheduled a demonstration on July 25 to protest against the proposed hike in the electricity tariff, at the party's district unit headquarters across Tamil Nadu.
The demonstration is also aimed at opposing the increase in house tax, property tax, water and drainage tax, and prices of essential commodities and flagging law and order issues and non-fulfilment of the ruling DMK's poll promises.
AIADMK interim general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the demonstrations would begin at 10 am. PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss also condemned the proposed electricity tariff hike and urged for it to be withdrawn.
CPM State secretary K Balakrishnan said the proposed hike would be an additional burden on the public. AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran, VK Sasikala, and others also condemned the proposed hike. The State BJP unit said it would stage a protest on July 23 if the government doesn’t revoke its decision.
MADURAI: Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industries on Tuesday urged the State government to withdraw the proposed hike in electricity tariff. Dr N Jegatheesan, president of the chamber, said, "It is unfair that the electricity tariff has been increased from an average of 20 per cent to a maximum of 52 per cent. An electricity tariff hike of this magnitude was not implemented in TN earlier."
"There is no denying that the increase in the debt burden of the electricity board is due to unplanned activity such as non-implementation of power projects properly, purchase of power from the outside market at a high price, and increase in project costs as power generation projects were not executed and completed within the stipulated time, among other reasons," he added.
He added that neither the trade and industry nor the general public are responsible for the increase in TANGEDCO's losses