M A I N   N E W S

Nawanshahr
Power bills major issue
From Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

NAWANSHAHR, Feb 12 — “Inflated” power bills has surfaced as one of the major issues in this constituency slated to go to the polls on February 17.

People belonging to weaker sections, particularly those living in villages, have been decrying the matter. The Congress feels the issue could enable it to garner votes as a large part of the population of the constituency belongs to weaker sections.

On the other hand, the promise of development by the ruling SAD-BJP seems to be working well with the voters.

The SAD and BJP stalwarts have to face angry voters with bills in their hands, demanding an explanation as to why they are being forced to shell out huge amounts for power.

The SAD-BJP combine which effortlessly rode to power in 1997 by promising free power to farmers, seems to have no satisfactory answer regarding power billing. It simply tells the electorate that all their difficulties would come to an end once the combine emerges as a winner. “Give us another two years and see how your area develops,” is one of the promises extended by bigwigs like Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and ministers of his Cabinet, who have been camping in the constituency for more than a week.

Even as the SAD-BJP supporters claim that the issue of development is more important to the electorate, than that of power bills, Capt Amarinder Singh, PPCC chief, has been telling the people that hit by the financial crisis in the state, the Badal government would withdraw the free power facility after the elections as had been done by the Bansi Lal government in Haryana in case of prohibition.

The Congress President says the Punjab Government has given an undertaking to the Planning Commission that it is going to shelve the free power facility.

A cross-section of the people talking to TNS alleged that they had started getting “inflated” power bills after the parliamentary elections. “We have not been paying the bills, but nobody has come to disconnect my power connection,” said one of the villagers. Mr Dass Ram, a resident of Jadgan village, said his domestic power bill never exceeded Rs 100, but this time he had to pay Rs 2500 against the bill.

Similarly, Mr Hargopal Dass of Naura said he had got a bill of Rs 1300. Earlier his bi-monthly bill had varied between Rs 500 and Rs 800. He alleged the government had found an easy way to overcome the financial mess by burdening the consumers with heavy bills.

Mr Gian Singh, a Rahon-based shopkeeper, alleged his bi-monthly power bill had suddenly swollen from Rs 1000 to Rs 3500. Some other small shopkeepers like him had received bills totalling Rs 10000 and above.

Mr Kulwant Singh, a farmer of Naura village, said after the waiving of the power bills he had hoped that his financial position would improve. But the enhancement of sales tax on pesticides and diesel coupled with “inflated” bills for his domestic power connection had made his condition worse.