New Delhi, July 12 (PTI) The Delhi BJP on Sunday reiterated its demand for withdrawal of the fixed charges component in electricity bills for the lockdown period and said if the issue is not resolved, it would launch a mass movement.

In an interaction with representatives of industrial associations in the city, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta charged "arbitrariness" on the part of power discoms (distribution companies) in sending electricity bills to consumers.

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No immediate reaction from power discoms was available on the allegation.

BJP leaders had informed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal about the "arbitrariness" of discoms but nothing happened, Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri claimed.

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Electricity bills comprise of monthly fixed charges and charges for electricity units consumed.

The fixed charges range from Rs 20 up to 2 KW per month in case of domestic consumers to Rs 250 per KVA per month for industrial units.

Gupta said that those industries, which were closed on directions by the government during the COVID-19 lockdown, should not be sent average and fixed charges bills.

The effective rate of electricity for industry in Delhi is Rs 14.5 per unit which is double the effective rate of industries in other states in north India, he claimed.

"If the Delhi government does not meet our demands of restoration of subsidy, withdrawal of fixed charge, revoking disconnection notices, and payment of bills in installments, we will launch a mass movement," Gupta said.

Bidhuri said that industries were closed and electricity was not used there during the lockdown, still average bills, including fixed charges, were being sent to them. 

BJP's North West Delhi MP Hansraj Hans said that industries play an important role in the development of Delhi and their problems must be solved by the government.

Delhi BJP leaders, including Gupta, have been raising the issue of fixed charges in bills for the past few days in their virtual interactions with representatives of resident welfare associations and traders' bodies.

Gupta also wrote a letter to Chief Minister Kejriwal seeking an appointment to meet him for resolution of problems of the people of Delhi regarding electricity bills.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)