CPM seeks withdrawal in hike of electricity, water and garbage collection charges 

Accusing the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government of indulgence in anti-people decisions like the previous BJP government, the State Unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) demanded to immediately withdrawal the hike in electricity, water, and garbage (collection) charges. In a press statement issued here today, state secretary of CPI(M), Dr. Onkar Shad, strongly condemns the increase in electricity and water rates by the state government and demands the government roll back this increase immediately. In a press statement issued here today, Dr. Shad said that instead of implementing the election promise of 300 units of free electricity, the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government decided to increase the electricity charges from 22 to 46 paise per unit from this month. ” The party warned the government that if it did not immediately withdraw this decision, which has put the burden of inflation on the public, then the party would mobilise the public and start a movement to withdraw this anti-people decision. He said the government already hiked charges for drinking water by 10 percent. He said that the state government had increased the rates of diesel by Rs. 3 per liter in the month of January. “Due to the policies of the central government, the public is already suffering from inflation; now the increase in the rates of basic necessities like electricity and water by the state government will increase the inflation and put more economic burden on the public,” he said. Party officials also said the government had also decided to increase the fee for garbage collection to Rs 117 per month from Rs 97. Party said that during the CPI(M), local self-government garbage charges in Shimla were only Rs 40 per month in 2017, which had increased by 300 percent in the last five years.

Party said that a continued hike in inflation made the lives of poor people miserable. CPM appeals to the general public that they can join it to begin the struggle by mobilising for the reversal of these anti-government policies and alternative policies.