GUWAHATI, July 28 � The sit-in demonstration staged by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) members from Monday on the Bijuli Bhawan campus in protest against the proposed hike of 56 paise in power tariff, was converted into a relay huger strike from 8pm today.
KMSS general secretary Akhil Gogoi said that this has been done in view of the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities towards the KMSS agitation.
He said that with the reforms programme in the power sector, the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) has been made dependent on the corporate sector with the imported mode of reforms.
The own power generation capacity of the State has gone down to only 340 MW and the State is made to procure power to the tune of 751 MW every day. The 60-MW Chandrapur Thermal Power Station and the 240-MW Bongaigaon Thermal Power Station of the State have been closed and the latter has been handed over to the NTPC.
The Amguri Thermal Power Station was not completed fearing non-availability of fuel.
State�s Power Department has now been turned into a power distribution system which fleeces the people with exorbitant tariff, he alleged.
On the other hand, the share of the State in the Central sector power stations located in the NE region has not increased.
The around-Rs 3,000-crore loan taken by the State to improve its power sector has been wasted on unproductive activities, alleged the KMSS general secretary.
