CHANDIGARH, April 10: Punjab Congress general secretary and Dhuri MLA Arvind Khanna today appealed to the Akali-BJP government in the state to have mercy on Punjabis and withdraw the massive power hike announced on Wednesday by the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
In a statement issued here today, Khanna said, it was a double whammy for the people of Punjab. On the one side there was no power as the cuts had already started, while on the other hand people are being made to pay through their nose, he said, while adding, going for wanton hike in power tariff was no solution.
He said, the rate at which the Punjab government has been increasing the power tariff in the state the day will not be far off when having an electricity connection will be a luxury irrespective of the fact whether power supply was there or not.
Khanna said, people were already reeling under excessive price rise caused by the wrong policies of the government and now the ten per cent increase in the power tariff will prove to be back-breaking, the proverbial last straw on the camel’s back.