Odisha: People switch off lights at homes to protest power tariff hike

Majority of the people across Odisha switched off the lights at their homes for half an hour on Sunday evening to protest against the hike in power tariff in the state.

State Congress president Nairanjan Patnaik thanked the people for registering their protest, the call for which was given by his party.

The people switched off their lights from 6.30 pm to 7 pm, opposing the power tariff hike.

Power tariff was raised by 20 paise per unit in October, and a further hike of 30 paise per unit in April has affected the common people, leaving them helpless amid the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic, Patnaik said.

Congress workers will stage agitation in all the district and block headquarters over the issue on Monday, he said.

The party also has plans to stage agitation before the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) headquarters in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, he added.

When the issue was raised in the Assembly earlier this week, Energy Minister DS Mishra had informed the House that the state government will urge the OERC to reconsider the hike.