HESCOMs proposed tariff hike opposed

HUBLI: Associations, organisations, traders, industries and general public have opposed the tariff revision proposed by the Hubli Electricity Supply Company (HESCOM) in all the categories before the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commissions (KERC) at a public hearing held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Dharwad on Wednesday.South Western Railway (SWR), Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries Dharwad and Gadag, Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association, Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries and other organisations placed their submissions before the commission comprising of M R Shrinivas Murty, K Shrinivas Rao, Vishwanath Hiremath and strongly objected to the proposed hike.Senior electrical engineer of Hubli division of SWR  Smita Shrivastav in her submission said the proposed hike would have adverse effects on the financial condition of the railways. If at all the hike was inevitable, the railways is not in a position to withstand the burden as it had not hiked passenger fares for the past several years.The extra burden due to the hike would have to be passed on to the common man, she added. While projects like Hospet-Vasco would prove unviable following the hike, she urged the commission to exempt the SWR from the hike. KCCI Dharwad president M C Hiremath stated that there was no justification in the proposed hike. “Is the hike by 88 paisa for both HESCOM and GESCOM justifiable, while HESCOM claims 20 per cent loss and GESCOM claims 10 per cent loss? Are we crediting HESCOM for making more losses, he questioned.