Congress protests in Ludhiana against power tariff hike
Saturday, 13/04/2013
http://punjabnewsline.com/news/Congress-protests-in-Ludhiana-against-power-tariff-hike-.html
LUDHIANA: Hundreds of Congress workers led by the Ludhiana District president Pawan Dewan today staged a massive protest demonstration against the recent hike in the power tariff. They sought withdrawal of the hike and submitted a memorandum to the Governor Shivraj Patil through the local Deputy Commissioner.
The protestors carrying banners and placards against the government and demanding withdrawal in the tariff gathered at the local Circuit House and after passing through different parts of the city staged a dharna in the Mini Secretariat before handing over the memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.
Earlier addressing the dharna, Dewan said, the hike in the power tariff had put an extra burden of Rs 1800 crores on the common Punjabis. He said, when there was no power the state government had no right to increase the tariff. He said, this was the seventh hike in the last six years of the Akali-BJP rule and said, it will simply make affording electricity difficult for the common man.
The DCC president criticised the government for its all round failure saying that the economy was in a mess while pointing out that 3.50 lakh employees were yet to be paid their salaries. He said, the industry was moving out of the state and the day was not far when the local industrial focal points will wear deserted looks since the industry was not having any power.
Dewan said, the days of the government were numbered and its end will begin during the parliament elections when people will defeat them in all the 13 assembly segments.
