Inmates of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant quarters protest against high electricity charges

They allege power tarrif was increased from ₹0.50 to ₹8 per unit and also demand merger of steel plant with SAIL and payment of HRA

Around 5,700 inmates of RINL-Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (RINL-VSP) residential quarters have expressed their displeasure against their plant management for charging exorbitant electricity charges of ₹8 per unit, as per Steel Plant Employees Union (SPEU) affiliated to CITU, here.

Hundreds of people protested on Saturday (October 5) at the plant office (ED works) on behalf of the inmates of the residential quarters of Sector 1 to 12 at Ukkunagaram Steel Plant Township under Gajuwaka Assembly segment of Visakhapatnam Parliamentary Constituency. They also demanded merger of RINL with Steel Authority of India Limited and payment of HRA.

SPEU sought justice from the High Court through the formal writ petition (No. 18966 of 2024) under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

In the petition, SPEU informed the court that the plant management has been charging high electricity charges from its employees at ₹8 per unit, which is illegal. They used to have the electricity charges ₹0.50 paise per unit till March, 2024.

Speaking to The Hindu, SPEU honorary president J. Ayodhyaram, who also joined the protest on Saturday, said, “Despite the High Court case, the plant management has been collecting exorbitant electricity charges. Recently, many residents of the steel plant quarters have received electricity bills running into thousands of rupees. Some have received more than ₹20,000 for different months since April. We protested at the plant office on Saturday (October 5) against this illegal practice.”

According to Mr. Ayodhyaram, most of the residents of the quarters live in quarters of 350-450 square feet residential plot. Most of them work at their work station under severe stress and temperatures of above 50° Celsius. As the plant has its own power generation system, they used to have a special provision or subsidy of ₹0.50 paise per unit electricity cost. But later, the tarrif was increased to ₹8 per unit, he added.

“Even residents of the quarters earning ₹30,000 to ₹40,000, per month, are now getting electricity bills equal to their salaries. This has added fuel to our debts as we all struggle with the current condition and sustainability of the plant. We request the plant management not to collect such huge and new electricity charges till the court case is cleared. We want the old power rate to continue. The next hearing of our case has been scheduled to last week of this month,” Mr. Ayodhyaram added.

When contacted, a reliable official source said, “Yes, there was a protest on Saturday regarding electricity charges.”

Published - October 05, 2024 07:38 pm IST