No change in power bills, BESCOM clarifies after residents question higher charges

Lockdown

There have been no changes in the tariffs either.

Soumya Chatterjee

Representative image

The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) began issuing bills this week after a month-long gap, but city residents immediately began to question whether their electricity bills had been inflated.  However, this is not the case. Due to the lockdown, officials could not take metre readings in the month of April, and bills were generated based on the average electricity usage of the customer for the previous three months.  For the bill in May, residents would have had to pay for the usage in March and April (since metre readings resumed). For residents who paid the April bill (the average amount calculated average of past three months) online through the BESCOM website or other payment portals, the same has been adjusted in the May billing cycle.  There have been no changes in the tariffs, officials said.  Like many other electricity suppliers in the country, BESCOM charges different tariffs based on usage to incentivise lower consumption. Aside from fixed charges and other additions, domestic users in Bengaluru pay Rs 3.75/unit for the first 30 units, Rs 5.20/unit for the next 31-100 units and Rs 6.75/unit for the next 101-200. Rs 7.8/unit are for subsequent usages in a month.   For the calculation of two months’ bill, BESCOM approximately doubled the slabs to 1-61, 61-203 and so on. Which means, Rs 3.75/unit is being charged for use of 1 to 61 units, and so on. The utility company reasoned that since many customers are staying in their homes during the lockdown, the consumption is much higher. The arrival of summer, as well as increased usage of computers and laptops for those working from home, has also added to the domestic power usage.  In a detailed statement, BESCOM said, “In domestic category, due to various reasons including an increase in the use of fans, ACs, and as many of the IT and BT (Information and Bio-technology) as well as other sector personnel are working from home, the maximum demand reading and consumption has gone slightly higher in the month of April. Consequently, the metre reading done in the month of May has been high for the domestic category.” It added, “Also, the unpaid amount of the April month has been added resulting in a higher amount. BESCOM categorically makes it clear that all rationals have been followed while calculating the electricity bills.” In case consumers still feel that the bill charged is higher than the actual consumption, BESCOM has requested them to call 1912.  

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Meet two Bengaluru teens who raised almost a lakh to help women migrant workers

COVID-19 Relief

The two class 10 students have so far distributed these kits to 1000 people.

Geetika Mantri

When the class 10 board exams were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bengaluru-based students Tia Poovayya and Niketa Khanna, were initially elated like many of their peers. “No exams, and we get to chill at home, we thought,” Tia says. However, not long after, the 16-year-olds realised that there were a lot of people who were left in the lurch due to the lockdown, and were having difficulties accessing even basic necessities. “As soon as we realised this, we wanted to do something. We wanted to make arrangements for things that were scarce. For instance, there were already volunteers, NGOs and government provisions for food. But the same couldn’t be said about things like sanitary napkins,” Tia explains. “In fact, our domestic worker came and asked my mother if she could give her some pads because she was not able to get any,” Niketa adds. And so, about two weeks ago, the girls decided to prepare relief kits – each containing one soap, seven shampoo sachets, sanitary napkins, and a mask – that they could distribute among migrant women workers, girls and those living in slums. They call this initiative Aurat Arogya. They started asking their family and friends for contributions on social media and WhatsApp. Initially, the donations flowed in from people they knew, but as the WhatsApp message started circulating, they started getting donations from people they didn’t know. Within a week, they had raised around Rs 80,000. And on April 29, Niketa and her aunt accompanied the Koramangala police officials – to whom they handed over the kits – to two settlements in Koramangala and distributed the kits to 1,000 women and girls. “It was an eye-opening experience,” Niketa says. “The first girl I met shared my name. Somehow that made me emotional. Many of them were quite grateful for these kits, which touched me. It strengthened my resolve to do seva (service) for people who are doing seva for me.” While Tia was not able to go for the distribution of the kits, she says that the experience made her realise her privilege. “There is so much more happening than we realise. And if you are fortunate, and have the capability to help someone in need, you should. It is the duty of the society to take care of their own, which includes the less privileged.” Tia and Niketa sourced the material for the kits from Metro Cash and Carry stores. They also say that the police have been quite forthcoming and helpful about their initiative, arranging car passes for movement and distribution of the kits. The girls are already working on a second round of crowdfunding and relief work and this time, they hope to help around 1,500 women and girls. They have already raised around Rs 20,000. To contribute, get in touch at auratarogya@gmail.com, or message them on Instagram on the handle @aurat.arogya. They can provide you with details for bank transfer, Google Pay or Paytm there. Children in other parts of the country have also been involved with relief work in their own way. A class 12 student, Aryaman Khosla, raised close to Rs 8.33 lakh for providing ration to children and parents that work with Bengaluru-based Parikrma Humanity Foundation, Deccan Herald reported. The organisation educates children from 105 slums in the city’s free of cost. In Chennai, the children’s choir from the NalandaWay Foundation – which educates children from disadvantaged backgrounds – performed with musicians and actors like Anoushka Shankar, A R Rahman, Farhan Akhtar, Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana, among others on May 3 to raise relief funds. The digital concert was called ‘I For India’ and 28 children from Delhi and Chennai participated in it. The proceeds from the same went to GiveIndia’s India COVID-19 response fund, reported The Hindu. In Kolkata, a six-year-old child artist named Debangkita Banerjee started singing at local marketplaces when it was allowed to raise money for COVID-19 relief. She also donated her savings worth Rs 10,000 and ultimately raised Rs 80,000 in total, reported The New Indian Express. Children in Ahemdabad, Gujarat, meanwhile, donated their piggy bank savings to the PM CARES Fund and for direct relief initiatives, PTI reported.  

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Migrant workers in Bengaluru allegedly beaten and kicked out of homes

Coronavirus

Employees of Moriz Hotel In Whitefield were kicked out of their home on the night of May 4. They say they have not been paid for 2 months.

TNM Staff

Representation photo

Harrowing tales of migrant workers being harassed, abused, forced to work and not being allowed to return home are stark realities that have emerged since the lockdown. And now, the cancellation of the Sharmik Trains from Karnataka has only added to their troubles. In Bengaluru’s Whitefield, a group of 11 migrant workers have been through traumatic experiences. From not being paid salaries since March to being kicked out of their homes by their employer, this group of migrant workers has slept on footpaths and has not eaten a single meal since the night of May 4.  Amit Mahali, a 32-year-old migrant worker from West Bengal, was employed as a kitchen helper at the Moriz restaurant in Bengaluru’s Whitefield. Amit Mahali and his colleagues, who worked as kitchen staff and waiters at the restaurant, were living in a room provided to them by their employers, which is located close to the restaurant.  “Since March, we have not been given salaries. When we asked the manager there, he said that the business is low due to the lockdown and we would be compensated when business picks up. On May 2, we asked our owner to give us the money as we wanted to return home. He just refused and said he can’t give,” Amit said.  On the morning of May 4, Amit and the other employees of Moriz allegedly asked their employer to pay them their salaries once again and were turned away. On the night of April 4, Amit and another colleague, Rohit Routia, were the last ones to go to sleep. They were sleeping on a mat close to the door of the room’s entrance.  “The owner and some of his men knocked on the door. I opened the door. Rohit was behind me. They just told us to vacate the space immediately. I told them that we would not unless we are paid the outstanding amount we are owed. The owner’s men beat us up and pushed us out. They threw all our belongings outside,” Amit added.  It was past midnight when Amit and 10 of his roommates gathered their belongings from the road and began walking. With nowhere to go, they decided to sleep on the pavement for the night.  “We didn’t have enough money either. On Tuesday morning, we gathered whatever money we had and rented a room in Kadugodi. We don’t have enough money to continue living here,” he added.  Amit tried calling the Karnataka helpline for migrant workers hoping to get food. However, he says that he was unable to communicate with the operator as he could not understand Kannada. “I tried talking to them in Hindi. I can’t speak it as well as Bengali so there was a problem. But I assumed they knew that we wanted food because I kept telling them. I also gave my address. We waited the whole of Tuesday hoping they would send food but nothing happened,” he said.  On Wednesday afternoon, the Labour Department got in touch with Amit after intimation from the media. He is now hoping to get some food for him and his friends. “I wanted to file a police complaint but when I discussed it with everyone, it seemed like more trouble. We don’t have much money to fight this. I hope our owner gives us the money we are owed,” he says.   

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Why did over 50 people attend Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s wedding? K’taka HC asks

Coronavirus

The court asked the state government why it did not restrict the number of guests who could attend the wedding.

TNM Staff

After former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy were heavily criticised for conducting a wedding during the lockdown, the special division bench of the Karnataka High Court have questioned the Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner as to why officials had not imposed a cap on the number of people who could attend Nikhil’s wedding on April 17.  The bench, comprising Chief Justice Abhay Sreenivas Oka and Justice BV Nagarathna,  questioned the government while hearing a Public Interest Litigation that demanded action against Kumaraswamy for flouting lockdown and social distancing norms.  The court questioned the Karnataka government on how the Deputy Commissioner was allowed to grant blanket permission without imposing limitations on the number of guests who could attend the wedding at Kumaraswamy’s farm house in Ramanagara. According to the permission letter, any representative of HD Kumaraswamy could attend the wedding. The court also asked the state government to submit details about vehicle movement and the number of passes issued.  During the video conference of the hearing, the government told the court that it had allowed 80 to 95 people to attend the wedding, The Hindu reported.  Responding to submissions made by the state government, the court said, “We are not concerned about the matter of this marriage itself, prima facie, the entire objective of the lockdown is defeated if the state and Union governments allow more than 50 persons to attend a ceremony,” The New Indian Express quoted Chief Justice Abhay Oka.  However, the bench also noted that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had only allowed wedding ceremonies to take place on May 1, with not more than 50 people while maintaining social distancing.  “If it is the state government’s policy to permit weddings without any restrictions on the number  of guests, then other people must also get the same benefit. Many people have cancelled weddings because of the lockdown,” the bench observed.  Chief Justice Oka further directed both the Centre and the state government to issue a clarification on whether the Deputy Commissioner has powers to grant permission to hold weddings, regardless of the number of people who attend the function.  “As the guidelines issued by the MHA on April 15 do not indicate the number of persons allowed to attend weddings, does it mean any number of persons could have been allowed to attend such functions prior to the May 1 guidelines,” The Hindu report quoted the bench as saying.  The Chief Justice also orally observed that the state government should accept that not restricting the number of guests for the wedding was a mistake. The next hearing is scheduled for May 12.  

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K’taka customers late on paying electricity bills to receive measures for assistance

Lockdown

This is one among a slew of compensation measures announced by the Karnataka government for sectors who have been facing losses due to the lockdown.

TNM Staff

Representative image

The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced incentives for consumers who pay their electricity bills on time and also announced measures for those who are unable to do so. The state government added that incentives and concessions will be given to the consumers who pay the bills in the stipulated time and those who pay the bills in advance. The government said that there will be a reduction in the interest on the amount for the delayed payment and an opportunity will be provided for the payment of the balance bill amount in instalments. The government, in an official release, stated that electricity connections will not be disconnected till June 30 for the consumers who have not paid the balance amount of electricity bill. However, officials have not specified what incentives will be given for those who pay their bills on time or in advance. An official from the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) told TNM that the consumers will be billed in the month of May for the past two months, March and April, combined. Meanwhile, for MSMEs, who have also suffered production losses due to the lockdown, the Karnataka government has decided to waive the monthly fixed charges of electricity bills for two months. “The payment of fixed charges in the electricity bills of the large industries will be deferred without penalty and interest for a period of two months,” the government release said.  These announcements were a part of a slew of compensation measures announced by the Karnataka government on Wednesday for sectors who have been facing losses due to the lockdown, like farmers, hospitality service providers, auto and taxi drivers, flower growers etc.  It was earlier reported that the Karnataka government held consultations with experts to help mitigate the social and economic impact of COVID-19 in the state.  The Planning Department, with the help of Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES) and Data Analytics Centre and with the help of interns and the faculty support, is trying to design the projects to conduct impact analysis across the divisions on various issues, the concept note said. What is required is an immediate assessment of the current situation and, with new ideas, design short, medium and long-term policies, it said. During the lockdown period, production almost came to a standstill in the state, whose GDP at current prices is estimated (2019-20) at 15,50,297 crore and the average per day works out to be Rs 4300 crore. It is assumed that the loss would continue for a longer period if the lockdown is extended and even after that, it will require some time for revival. (PTI inputs)  

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Karnataka CM announces Rs 1,610 cr relief packages for those affected by lockdown

Lockdown

The relief package includes barbers, flower growers, and cab drivers. The government has also announced relief in immediate payment of electricity bills for all consumers.

Alithea Stephanie Mounika

PTI

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday announced a Rs 1,610 crore compensation package for easing the economic difficulties of people in the state. The relief package was announced following the six-week lockdown that has left large sections of the people who rely on daily wages, and the sale of their produce in markets for their survival. The Chief Minister announced that flower cultivators would be given compensation of Rs 25,000.  “Flower growers have destroyed their flowers following lack of demand for their produce due to (the) lock down. It is estimated that farmers cultivated flowers in about 11,687 hectares. Realising flower growers problems, Government has decided to announce compensation of Rs.25,000/- per hectare limited to the maximum extent of one hectare for the flower growers who have suffered crop loss,” BS Yediyurappa said.  The CM also announced a separate relief package for fruit and vegetable cultivators, the details of which are yet to be announced. The government has also decided to reach out to the service class, and has announced a one-time compensation of Rs 5,000 each to barbers and washermen, both in the urban and rural areas. The Chief Minister said that the move is set to “benefit about 60,000 washermen (dhobis) and about 2,30,000 barbers.” The government has also come to the aid of weavers, by announcing a package for them. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said that the government has already announced Rs.109 Crore package for “Weavers Loan Waiver” scheme, of which Rs.29 Crore was released during the 2019-20. The remaining amount of Rs.80 will be disbursed immediately, he said.  “This will help weavers to get fresh loans to continue their occupation. The reimbursement benefit will be provided for the weavers who have repaid their loan amount between April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020,” he added.  Additionally, the Karnataka government has announced a new scheme for weavers, the Weaver Samman Yojana” (Nekarara Sammana Yojane). Under this scheme, the government will transfer directly Rs 2,000 to the accounts of handloom weavers through direct benefit transfer (DBT). Considering the lack of income opportunities for cab and auto drivers during the lockdown, the government has announced to help 7,75,000 auto and taxi drivers, by providing one time compensation of Rs 5,000 each. The government has also announced a relief package for construction workers in the state. “There are 15.80 lakh registered building workers in the state. Government has already transferred Rs 2,000 each to the bank account of 11.80 lakh building workers through direct benefit transfer. Action has already been initiated to transfer Rs 2,000 each to the accounts of the remaining 4 lakh construction workers soon after verifying beneficiaries bank account details. In addition, the government has decided to transfer an additional amount of Rs.3,000 each to building workers,” Yediyurappa said.  However, there is no benefit announced for those who are not registered with the government under this scheme. Electricity charges The government has also announced that they will help Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to recoup their production losses by announcing that, “The monthly fixed charges of electricity bills of MSMEs will be waived for two months.” The government has also announced that there will be relief in paying electricity bills for consumers of all categories: > Incentives and concessions will be given to the consumer who pays the bills in stipulated time. > There will be reduction in the interest on the amount for the delayed payment. > Incentives will be provided to the consumers who pay the bills in advance. > Opportunity will be provided for the payment of the balance bill amount in instalments. >  Electricity connection will not be disconnected till June 30 for the consumers, who have not paid the balance amount of electricity bill.

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After Andhra and TN, Karnataka announces hike in liquor prices

Excise

On Tuesday, the second day after liquor stores were opened, Karnataka recorded a sale of Rs 197 crore.

Soumya Chatterjee

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The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced an additional 11% excise duty for liquor or alcohol sold in the state through retailers. This 11% hike is over and above the 6% hike that had been announced by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa in his budget earlier this year. This revised pricing will come into effect from Thursday. Further details are awaited. The government had also incidentally announced some special relief packages for the unorganised sector like one-time Rs 5,000 allowance for those who were affected majorly by the lockdown. The beneficiaries included barbers, cab and auto drivers. The move by the government in Karnataka was expected as already other state governments wanted to rake in additional revenue from liquor sales after a lull due to the lockdown. While neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has hiked the prices by 50%, Delhi has put a 75% COVID-19 specific additional tax for the same. Tamil Nadu too has hiked excise duty by 15%. As earlier reported, Karnataka made Rs 197 crore in liquor sales across the district on Tuesday. Compared to this, the average revenue, on normal non-lockdown days, is around Rs 90-95 crore for a single day, according to Excise Department staff. Approximately 36.37 lakh litres of Indian Made Foreign Liquor and  7.02 lakh litres of beer was sold as part of the day’s sale. This even though the department had put curbs on bulk buying and stores are operating from 9 am-7 pm only. For now, stores are allowed to sell only three bottles of spirits and six bottles of beer per person.  On Monday, when the stores opened for the first time since the lockdown, Rs 45 crore worth of alcohol was sold. This was because many shops did not open due to technical problems after a long dry-run and there were supply related issues. However, department officials said they expect sales to go down gradually after the initial rush.

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