Some hardships if discoms blackmail: Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has assured Delhiites that they would not have to live without electricity, although he did ask the people to be ready for "some difficulties" in case power distribution companies continued with their "blackmailing" tactics.    Amid the continuing standoff between the AAP government and Anil Ambani's BSES discoms, which are pressing for a hike in power tariffs, Kejriwal said he had no personal issue with either Ambani or the Tatas, who run another discom in the capital.

"We would be very happy to work with them if they want to do honest business," he said. Providing uninterrupted power to Delhi was part of the terms of licence for the discoms, Kejriwal said, adding that "if they violate the terms... then they better go".

He warned the discoms that they will not be allowed to "blackmail" the people of the city and assured that his government would not let "Delhiites live without power".

"This is not only my struggle. If you go to the people, they are very upset with the issue of electricity. It is a collective struggle and we will have to fight together. If we want to stop the blackmail, we should be ready for some difficulties in the transition period and everyone will have to bear it."

Alleging that there was "active collusion" between the companies and the previous Congress government, Kejrial said the power tariff would be decided on the basis of the CAG scrutiny of the three private discoms.

Anil Ambani group companies supply electricity to 70% of the consumers in Delhi while Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd caters to the rest of the areas, except the localities under NDMC. "We are neither friends nor enemies. But if they want to function the same way like they did previously, that wouldn't work," the CM said.     

 

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AKANKSHA SHANU

                                      PGDM 1st yr.