News
Power tariffs anger directed at Rs 42.7m overdue bills from politicos
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
Angry people, trade unions, industrialists, and political parties continue their protests countrywide against the increased electricity tariffs.
They complain that the new tariffs imposed last Friday were a measure taken to cover up the losses of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).
They point out that one of the factors that contributed to losses was outstanding bills, including those of politicians.
Sanjeewa Dammika, the general secretary of the Electricity Users Association, said the tariff increase is unfair and an attempt to cover up losses the CEB has incurred due to corruption and its mishandling of projects.
Protests against the increased electricty tarrifs: In Ambalanthota and below Eppawala. Pix by Rahul Samantha and Thisara Samal
The worst affected are lower- and middle-class households and small and large-scale industries.
Mr. Dammika said they called for a series of protest actions; a march will be held on Wednesday, November 1, from the Divulapitiya bus stop in the Gampaha District.
He added that a part of their campaign would be to switch off lights at religious institutions and display black flags at houses and workplaces.
“To reverse its decision, we will only give the CEB authorities and the government 10 days after the initial march.’’
The CEB trade unions have also planned a protest on Wednesday, November 1.
The CEB Workers’ Union Secretary, Ranjan Jayalal, said they have called on other trade unions and their leaders to take part by taking sick leave and joining the protest at the CEB main office.
An official list of long-overdue bills of members of parliament compiled as of November 13, 2022, showed that there were arrears of Rs 42.7 million.
The arrears ranged from 2000 to 2022. Some arrears are listed under the names of parliamentarians who have died or are no longer in parliament but whose bills have not been settled.
A bill of a former minister showed Rs 5.3 million in arrears.
These eventually add up to losses.
Meanwhile, people protested in Colombo and its suburbs against the tariff increase. Most protests were held during the evening hours, when people held up candles and fire torches.
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya, too, has called for a series of countrywide protests.
Leading a protest at Orugodawatte in Colombo, former lawmaker Mujibur Rahman said the party would continue its torch and candle protests.
He added that each day they would hold separate protests in towns and cities. Protests were held on Thursday in Galle.
Mr. Rahman added that they view tariffs as unfair and have been devised to cover up the arrears instead of collecting outstanding payments from influential people.
Outstanding bills have not been investigated by a parliamentary committee, he said. As a party, they plan to raise the matter in parliament. He added that there was no mention of persons responsible or a mechanism to charge the due amounts.
The CEB’s Acting Finance Manager, Nihal Fernando, said the tariffs were increased to cover increased costs.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) chairman, Prof. Manjula Fernando, explained that they are planning a progress review of the recently increased electricity tariffs.
He added that a meeting will be held next week. At the meeting, they are also planning to present the information gathered during public consultation.
Prof. Fernando added that at that meeting, the outstanding payments would also be addressed. He added that PUCSL, too, would hold a separate meeting to review electricity tariffs.
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