Arvind Kejriwal targets Sheila Dikshit on power distribution:Complete Coverage

•  Arvind Kejriwal today(1, Feb 2013) targeted Sheila Dikshit Government(Delhi) alleging that  power distribution companies in the capital "fudged" their records and "committed fraud" to show losses in their revenue while actually making profits. 

•  Kehrival claimed that Delhiites are paying two times the electricity bills they should actually be paying .According to Kejrival Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) chief  Brijender Singh had concluded that power companies would make profits of Rs 3,577 crores which if passed on to the consumers would result in 23 per cent reduction in tarrifs. That's why he was to pass an order on May 5, 2010 to reduce tarrif  but Delhi Government wrote a letter to Brijender Singh on May 4 under pressure from distribution companies (discoms )and stopped him from issuing the order 
• For proof he circulated copies of the letter written by Joint Secretary (Power) S.M Ali on May 4 to Brijender Singh.
• He alleged that BSES Yamuna and BSES Rajdhani owned by Anil Ambani group were showing zero bills for a number of consumers including the Delhi Airport and the Delhi Jal Board.These were done to show losses.
• He attacked the opposition as well saying that the BJP did not raise these issues despite having proof by not doing justice to its role as Opposition party.
• Kejrival demanded that hat FIRs for alleged cheating be registered against the discoms and performance and financial audit of discoms by the CAG should be arranged.He also demanded to dismiss the current chairman of DERC.

RESPONSE

• Dikshit's office termed the allegations as "bunch of lies".
• Power Minister Harun Yusuf  in defense said "The tariff order he was referring to was not signed by all the three members of the DERC. So you cannot call it a tariff order. Even Delhi High court had held that it was not a DERC order,"
• Yusuf also said Berjinder Singh had made calculations on assumptions that power would be available from newly built power plants at low rates. But actually those plants could not generate power as per expectation due to various reasons.
• Yusuf also said Delhi Government did not have any problem with CAG audit of accounts of the distribution companies.
• "In last 10 years, there has been 83 per cent hike in power tariff against 137 per cent increase in power purchase cost. We always tried to be very transparent," said Yusuf.

Source:http://www.indianexpress.com/news/arvind-kejriwal-targets-sheila-dikshit-on-power-distribution/1068009/0