CPI (M) takes out procession against pre-paid electricity meter

CPI(M) leaders led procession against Puducherry govt's decision to introduce pre-paid meter system for domestic electricity. Party workers raised slogans, demanding withdrawal of decision. Delegation of leaders tried to meet CM to hand over petitions from consumers expressing disapproval, but he was not in office. BJP wanted to privatise Electricity Dept; pre-paid meter a beginning.

Leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday took out a procession against the Puducherry government’s decision to introduce pre-paid meter system for electricity for domestic consumers.

Led by party politburo member, G. Ramakrishnan and secretary R. Rajangam, party workers, took out a procession from Periyar Statue to the Legislative Assembly premises, raising slogans and demanding withdrawal the decision.

The workers were stopped near the Assembly complex. A delegation of party leaders tried to meet Chief Minister N. Rangasamy for handing over petitions collected from consumers, expressing their disapproval but they could not meet him as he was not in office.

Mr. Rajangam said party workers, during a recent campaign against introduction of pre-paid meter, had gathered around 60,000 petitions from public. Since the Chief Minister was not in his chamber, the petitions were submitted to his office in the Assembly.

The BJP wanted to privatise the Electricity Department. The introduction of the electric meter was a beginning only, said Mr. Rajangam.