Can the Minister work on his timing?

CHENNAI: The timing of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation’s decision to revise electricity charges after a gap of 8 years has not only surprised consumers but also various stakeholders. Many are questioning the timing of Electricity Minister V Senthilbalaji’s announcement.

On July 18, he told the media that the tariff would be revised for all consumers including domestic who would continue to get 100 units free.

This announcement coincides with the new member K Venkatesan, director (engineering) TNERC and a retired additional chief engineer of Tangedco, taking charge on July 18 after his appointment two days back. TNERC remained defunct since May 5 after the retirement of the member (legal) K Venkatasamy, and another member R Jarad Kishore resigned on March 11 following a controversy over his appointment.

Stakeholders raised questions over the appointment of another retired Tangedco engineer as a member when the posts can be filled by either a person with financial or legal background. The present TNERC chairman M Chandrasekar was a retired director of Tangedco.

Already, an anti-corruption organisation has written to the Governor seeking to declare the GO dated July 16 on the appointment of Venkatesan as a TNERC member as null and void, as it violates the Supreme Court and the Madras HC order. Stakeholders wonder whether the commission would stand up and protect consumers’ interests or would it allow Tangedco to bulldoze its way through.