The INDIA bloc has called for a 24-hour bandh in Puducherry on Wednesday to protest against the current hike in power tariff and also to condemn the move of the territorial government to introduce pre-paid metres for power supply.
In view of the bandh, classes for standards to 8 have been suspended in the Union Territory in all government and private schools while classes 9 to 12 functioned as usual, reported ANI.
Puducherry Congress chief and Lok Sabha MP V Vaithilingam said in a press release on Monday that the bandh is also aimed at protesting against the current decision of the AINRC-BJP coalition ministry here to privatise the distribution of power supply, reported PTI.
The opposition has been protesting of late against the proposed move to prioritise power distribution in the Union Territory.
Expressing apprehension over the decision to allow private players to take up distribution of power supply, the INDIA block said consumers would be held to ransom. The opposition also flagged that farmers would be deprived of the free power supply and the tariff for all the consumers would surge.
It also made the point that there was no inconvenience now when the Department of Electricity was supplying the power. The opposition also raised concerns that all the assets of the department would be placed at the disposal of the private sector if the power supply becomes the prerogative of the private entrepreneurs.
(With inputs from agencies)