The Mysore Industries Association (MIA), representing the industries of Mysore, Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts, has opposed the proposal of the Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Company (CESC) to raise the power tariff by 80 paise a unit for all consumers, including tiny, small, medium and large industries.
According to the CESC tariff revision application to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC), there has been a substantial decrease in the consumption of power by industries due to the global recession.
The MIA expressed its disappointment that many industries are either closed, sick or listed NPA. Given this situation, the MIA has strongly opposed the CESC’s proposal for a tariff hike, said MIA general secretary Suresh Kumar Jain.
Instead of encouraging the use of solar water heaters by domestic consumers, he said, the CESC had proposed to withdraw the power tariff rebate of 50 paise per unit given to power consumers using solar water heaters. “This is not acceptable,” he said.
The CESC has also proposed to convert self-employed tailors, auditors, beauty parlours, home tutorials, DTP typing centres, paying guest centres, goldsmiths, astrology and other microservice activity in residential houses to the commercial category with them now having to pay Rs 3 per unit which will be an additional burden on all such small scale operators.
MIA is planning to file objections against the proposal, Jain said, asking all consumers, industrialists, auditors and legal experts to file objections before February 2.
