Pooja Mahabadi, Pune
The opposition on Wednesday, 18th September 2024 knelled the Bandh in Puducherry to confront the hike in power tariffs in the state. The protesters are trying to bring forth an argument about how pre-paid meters and privatizing electricity are harming the small-time farmers due to the unfair price distribution making it extremely unaffordable. The former Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy forewarned the AINRC-BJP-led government of more protests if the conditions are not met.
The dawn-to-dusk bandh rallied in the Union Territory early Wednesday morning, the protest tended to make the AINRC-BJP coalition government take back the hike in power tariffs. The opposition repatriated the fact how the increasing tariffs would cripple the farmers in the region.
The opposition promises that the protest is sustained and no harm will be caused to any locale.
The Congress Unit in Puducherry is led by Unit Chief V Vaithilingam, he is also a member of the Lok Sabha who is also the President of the Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee – the Chief has garnered strong support with massive cooperation and people from all sections.
Classes 1 to Classes 8 will remain shut in the city today whilst Classes 9 to 12 will function as usual according to a circular issued by the Director of School Education on Tuesday, 17th September 2024.
This Bandh is trying to fight the ruling party’s decision to hike the power tariffs by allowing private companies to control the distribution of Electricity in the Union Territory. The opposition believes this will hand over an extreme amount of power to the private corporate companies making this private players monetize electricity for their own benefits pushing the farmers further below the poverty line. The farmers currently receive free electricity, if the privatization happens the farmers will be vulnerable at the mercy of big private entities due to reduced protection from the government and increased costs.
The INDIA bloc also says that the current supply of Electricity by the Department of Electricity is efficiently supplying power to people without any difficulties or troubles. They warn the farmers constantly that if the AINRC-BJP-led unit goes ahead with the privatization of Power- they will be vulnerable more than before causing them severe consequences.