CPI oppose Tangedco's move to merge domestic connections

CHENNAI: A day after CPM announced a state-wide protest against Tangedco's move to merge more than one domestic connection at individual homes, another ruling DMK's ally CPI on Wednesday termed the utility's move as an attack on domestic consumers who are already burdened with increasing expenditures.

In a statement, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan said that as per the Tamil Nadu Electricity Supply Code, at present electricity consumers are paying the tariff which includes subsidy.

He said that Tangedco wants to do away with the free supply of power to domestic consumers through its move to merge more than one connection.

"After hiking the electricity charges and meter charges, Tangedco’s move to merge the multiple domestic connections is an attack against the consumer's welfare. It is also against the State government's supply code. We seek the intervention of the State government to scrap the Tangedco’s move," he said.

CPM on Tuesday condemned Tangedco for issuing a notice to the consumers to merge multiple domestic connections. "Through such moves, the utility wants to deny the free 100 units used by the domestic consumers," it said.

It may be noted that Electricity Minister V Senthilbalaji clarified that no order has been issued by Tangedco to its section offices to merge more than one connection. "It is completely wrong and untrue that Aadhaar number is obtained only for merging more than one household electricity connection in the same house, in the name of the same person," he tweeted.