Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (KCCI) president Iftikhar Ahmed Vohra has vehemently criticised the government for giving a go ahead to K-Electric to raise power tariffs from 19 per cent to 30pc under various slabs for residential consumers with effect from July 14, 2015.
"This unjust hike appeared in K-Electric bills received during the month of August came as a shock for everyone, particularly the poor and middle-class segments of society," he added.
He urged the government to immediately withdraw the unjust hike as it will terribly affect common man's life in the ongoing era of inflation, besides having an impact on prices of numerous household goods.
He noted that K-Electric's tariffs have been raised by 26pc (Rs10.20 per unit) for consumers using between 201 and 300 units, 30pc (Rs16.00 per unit) for those consuming 301-700 units and 19pc (Rs18.00 per unit) for consumers using more than 700 units.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the KCCI chief said that although the government notified raise in electricity tariff for residential consumers through an SRO 677 (1) / 2015, it was neither available on K-Electric's website nor on the websites of Ministry of Water & Power and Nepra, thereby refraining public from analysing why this raise has been applied.
He said that a number of people from all walks of life, while seeking KCCI's assistance in highlighting this serious issue, highly criticised the government and Nepra for allowing K-electric to raise its tariff for residential consumers as it would badly hit the lower-income group and salaried class.
"It is a matter of grave concern that Nepra usually holds public hearings prior to revising electricity tariff, but this raise granted to K-Electric has been imposed without holding a single hearing," he said, adding that this anti-public step will prove counter-productive as it may affect K-electric's recoveries because the people won't be able to pay off these exorbitant bills and the situation may leave no other option for them but to go for illegal means, including electricity theft through Kunda connection.
The KCCI chief also pointed out that K-Electric's operating expenditures must have gone down nowadays as the international oil prices have declined sharply and are at all-time low.
"Yet it is highly unfair on part of the government to give go ahead to K-Electric to raise tariff without considering the current scenario and without even thinking of its negative impact on the lives of the masses.
He hoped that the government keeping in view the overall scenario would withdraw the hike in K-Electric tariff for residential consumers.
Meanwhile, a number of people belonging to different walks of life termed the raise in power tariff for domestic consumers `irrational', `unjust' and `uncalled for'.
They were of the opinion that higher cost of power would encourage people to use Kunda, instead of paying inflated electricity bills.
Perturbed over huge raise in power tariffs, a housewife said: "There seems to be no end to the woes of the middle-class people as our monthly budget will go up drastically with the recent hike in electricity bills."
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