The campaign began in front of the train station in the capital, but it is already the second time in four months that a petition has been organized against the rise in bills. According to experts, the increase was implemented to offset subsidies given to the Ceylon Electricity Board, Sri Lanka’s largest electricity company under the Ministry of Energy.
Colombo () – The season of protests in Sri Lanka has not yet ended: the Electricity Consumers Association (ECA) has collected 6.9 million signatures across the country against the government’s decision to increase billing costs. The campaign started in front of the railway station in the capital Colombo and is supported by the opposition, trade unions, real estate and industry, public and private sector employees and the Sri Lanka Public Service Commission ( pucsl).
It is the second time in four months that a petition against the high bills has been organized. According to the PUSCL, the measure is illegal because the government has no authority to increase bills. However, the Minister of Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera, reiterated that the proposed tariff scheme was raised by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and shared on his Twitter account as an official message.
Sampath Hendawitharana, a public sector employee in Kalutara and father of two school-age children, told that “the proposed increase in electricity rates is like an electric shock. Several families from my town have left the country not in search of greener pastures but to find employment abroad. Some may never return to Sri Lanka. Many families have committed suicide because they couldn’t pay their mortgage, buy food, and pay college fees. Does the government expect people to live in the dark?
Nimal Sendaratne, an NGO activist, explained that “the new tariff is a blow to the middle class and the poor. People are facing many difficulties due to the high cost of living; they pawn their jewellery, eat one meal a day and many have lost their livelihoods Parents forgo meals to pay school fees, some students have dropped out of school and those who rent their house cannot afford it and go to live with family or friends facing similar difficulties If there is a Increasing bills, how will people pay?”
Several opposition legislators who were present at the signature collection campaign reiterated that “this is the result of the government’s inefficiency. We plan to go house to house, starting next week, and launch a massive protest campaign if the government goes through with this increase.” It will be the second largest protest in the country. People live in miserable conditions. We will lead the fight. People are silent not because they have a comfortable life, but because they are fed up with the 225 members of Parliament.”
Lawyer Ramesh Alagiyawanna explained that “the government decided to increase electricity tariffs up to 65% in January, with the approval of the Council of Ministers, to offset the costs. More than 3,500 million rupees (9 million euros) in compensation and salaries to employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board”, the largest electricity company in Sri Lanka that reports to the Ministry of Energy. “The government is trying to overcome the objections of the energy sector regulator and proceed with the rate increase.”
ECA sources added: “On January 1 we started our public petition in Matara, the hometown of Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera and we also collected signatures in Galle. We collected more than 10,000 signatures on the first day. PUCSL is the only one with authority to make decisions on tariffs”.
