Shimla Nagarik Sabha held a strong demonstration at the DC office against the installation of smart meters
Shimla Nagarik Sabha held a strong demonstration at the Deputy Commissioner’s office, Shimla, against the installation of smart meters, increase in water, electricity, property tax, and garbage collection fees. In the demonstration, coordinator Sanjay Chauhan, co-coordinator Vijendra Mehra, Prem Gautam, Jagmohan Thakur, Summerhill councilor Virendra Thakur, Balak Ram, Dr. Rajendra Chauhan, Dr. Vijay Kaushal, Kapil Sharma, Amit Thakur, Ranjeev Kuthiala, Vinod Birsanta, Anil Thakur, Ramprakash. , Dinit Denta, Kamal, Akhil, Santosh, Sunny Sikta, Sarita, Upendra, Dalip, Shanti, Bablu, Praveen, Omprakash, Sunny, Deep Ram, etc. were included. Nagrik Sabha has warned Municipal Corporation Shimla, SJPNL Management, Electricity Regulatory Commission, and the State Government that if there is an increase in water, electricity, waste, and property tax, Nagrik Sabha will agitate against it.
Nagarik Sabha convener Vijendra Mehra and co-convener Vijendra Mehra have said that due to the policies of neoliberal privatization and commercialization, the basic facilities of the public are being attacked. People are being deprived of their basic facilities. There is a conspiracy going on to destroy the service sector. Instead of the public getting free and compulsory services, the public is being cheated in exchange for all the services. It has become a fashion to increase the prices of these services by ten percent every year under the guise of meeting the World Bank’s conditions and expenses. The sources of income of the people are limited and according to the Oxfam report, instead of increasing, the sources of income of the people are getting postponed or reduced, but without any logic, the rates of basic amenities are increasing by ten percent or more in Shimla city every year. Is. The policy of increasing the rates of basic facilities by ten percent was brought in the year 2017 by the then BJP government and BJP-ruled Municipal Corporation Shimla. Unfortunately, the present Congress government and Congress-ruled Municipal Corporation Shimla are also implementing the same policy of BJP. Instead of improving their poor functioning, Municipal Corporation Shimla and SJPNL are imposing a financial burden on the public. Due to their poor functioning, till now Rs 11.5 crore of garbage, Rs 11 crore of property tax, and Rs 21 crore of water are outstanding from influential people and government departments, but the general public, who follows the rules and regulations, is facing unnecessary financial burden every year. This is being imposed which will not be tolerated at all.
He has demanded that the privatization of electricity and water should be stopped to protect the interests of the public. Installation of smart electricity meters should be stopped in the state because this will make electricity out of reach of the general public. The smart electricity meter is a big scam to give benefits to corporate houses. The 8 percent increase in property tax rates should be withdrawn as it is not logical. There is no point in this without increasing the facilities for the citizens and without regularizing the buildings. The policy of increasing garbage collection fees by 10 percent every year should be withdrawn. This fee has increased four times in the last seven years, which is an anti-people act. The SJPNL company formed for the privatization of water in Shimla city should be closed and the work of water supply should be done by the Shimla Municipal Corporation. The ten percent increase in water rates every year should be withdrawn. According to the policy of the Modi government, putting the tax burden on the public in the name of urban reforms should be stopped. Regular recruitment should be done on vacant posts in Municipal Corporation Shimla. Contract and outsourced recruitment should be stopped in Municipal Corporation Shimla. The government should withdraw the decision to implement the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 in the state
