BJP will move Supreme Court against DERC and power tariff hike

BJP will move the Supreme Court against illegal decision of the DERC to implement hike in power tariff by 24+8% w.e.f. 1st July 2012 without issuing orders in this regard. A member of the Pradesh Working Committee of the Party Sh. Ravinder Yadav will file a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court demanding rejection of the decision of DERC to increase power tariff and provide relief to the people of Delhi. 

BJP Delhi Pradesh President Sh. Vijender Gupta has said that the DERC increased power tariff by 24% w.e.f. 1st July 2012 in one sided and arbitrary manner favouring the proposal of the three private power company of Delhi. Besides this it allowed recovery of 8% fuel surcharge. This way the total power tariff has been increased by 70%. It is surprising that the increased power tariff has become effect from 1st July but the DERC has not issued orders in this regards. When the DERC which is the regulatory body, has not given orders in favour of power tariff hike then on what ground increased power tariff is being recovered from the people of Delhi. This is the question to be considered by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. 

It is necessary to mention here that the former Chairman of DERC Sh. Vijender Singh had found after examination of the accounts of the companies that all the three power companies were earning heavy profit of about 522 crore rupees. Hence Sh. Singh had recommended decrease of 20% in the power tariff in Delhi. In the mean time he retired and Sh. P.D. Sudhakar was appointed as the Chairman of DERC. Just after assuming office he increased power tariff by 22% w.e.f. 26th August 2011. 

Now on 26th June 2012 power tariff has been increased again. Entire Delhi is critising this anti people decision of the DERC. The objective of constituting DERC was to control the arbitrariness of the power companies and the Govt. and to take decision in the interest of the people. But what is happening is just contrary to it. The DERC seems to be working in favour of power companies. This way the objective of the DERC seems to have been defeated.