A dharna was staged by the CPI(M) at the APEPDCL Office at Seethammadhara here on Tuesday in protest against the power sector reforms initiated by the Centre and the failure of the YSR Congress Party government to oppose them, though the reforms are reportedly detrimental to the interests of the common people.
Addressing the gathering, party City Committee secretary B. Ganga Rao said that the State government had issued G.O. numbers 91 and 94 in July, 2019, saying free power would be given to SC and ST consumers for household power supply up to 200 units a month. This scheme was not being implemented properly in Visakhapatnam city and demanded its implementation without any further delay.
He recalled that the State government had increased the free units from 100 to 200 a month, under the scheme. Though the scheme was in force, power charges were being collected at many places on the plea that the government was not reimbursing the funds. The consumers were being threatened with disconnection of service, if they failed to pay the charges, he said.
Mr. Ganga Rao alleged that the Union government was planning to privatise discoms to benefit corporate companies.
Party leaders R.K.S.V. Kumar, B. Jagan, M. Subba Rao and R.P. Raju were among those who participated in the protest.
