UCPMA president unhappy with PSERC proposals

Ludhiana, March 25, 2013: A meeting of Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) was held in Chandigarh under the chairmanship of Romila Dubey, in which various prominent organisations took part to discuss the matter of electricity.

The United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers (UCPMA), Ludhiana president Gurmeet Singh Kular also participated in the meeting.

After the meeting, Kular told the media persons that he strongly opposed the anti-measures taken by the Commission to increase the tariff of the electricity. He said he strongly opposed two part tariff terming it as “totally against the industry”. 

He told that he also opposed the proposed introduction of time of day tariff from 6 am till peak load time from October this year. He also opposed proposal of   increasing peak load tariff from (7 pm to 10 pm) from Rs.1.80/KW to Rs.3.60/KW from April 1.

Further,  discount proposed by the Commission for night time to industry was also rejected as it was very difficult for the small/micro industry to work in night, bicycle industry which was situated mainly in Punjab and was giving work to half a million people.

He also expressed surprise that the time of day tariff had been proposed to be started in October where as peak hour tariff to be started from April 1. He said the proposal was not acceptable to the industry, adding PSPCL had already given proposal to increase the general tariff from April 1 also.

He pointed out that these steps by the POWERCOM would “kill” the industry. He asserted that the state government should look into this “serious” matter. Otherwise, the industry would be forced to go out of state.