2 Women Agree To Return Amid Priests' Threats To Shut Sabarimala Temple
PAMBA/NEW DELHI: Two women who trekked 5 km towards the Sabarimala temple with 300 policemen in riot gear escorting them had to turn back after the temple priests threatened the rituals will be stopped if they entered the shrine of Lord Ayyappa nestled in the Western Ghats.
The women, including a journalist, were 500 metres from the 18 steps -- the golden steps -- that lead to the sanctum sanctorum of the famous shrine where no woman between 10 and 50 years has been allowed for centuries, when they decided to turn back.
On these steps sat about a dozen priests today, chanting and clapping, apparently to stop the women if they did make it through the last half km.
Last month, the Supreme Court overturned the ban on women of menstruating age entering the temple of Lord Ayyappa. But in the three days that Sabarimala has been open for the first time since the landmark order, no woman below 50 has made it to the shrine.
courtesy : ndtv.com
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
