Outrage among Bhatkal residents against HESCOM over hefty Electricity billing during lockdown
Bhatkal: Residents in Bhatkal are left shocked and outraged after their electricity bills have reportedly inflated significantly during the Coronavirus lockdown. Supported by an independent study, a local organization 'Speech Foundation’ in Bhatkal recently evening organized a virtual press conference to detail their claims.
The organization claimed that it had independently studied the electricity bill cycles of 31 houses of various localities in Bhatkal and had come across major inflation in bills during the lockdown period. It added, in some cases the inflation as high as 177%.
Of the 31 one cases studied by the organization, at least 8 cases had unprecedented inflation of over 100% while one case clocked inflation of 99%.
The members of the organization, part of the independent study asserted that it was evident the HESCOM had charged exorbitantly to the consumers post lockdown as cumulative bills for 3 month period are excessively high.
The inputs of the study shared showed that the study was based on the bills of the previous eight months. It also added that the HESCOM had possibly failed to apply monthly consumption slab formulas which have resulted in the inflated bills that have caused inconveniences to the people in town.
It noted “It’s been observed HESCOM failed to apply monthly consumption slab formulas. It's assumed they applied the highest tariffs per unit charges by issuing a three-month bill” adding that it was not ruling out the possibility of a scam on the part of HESCOM who might just take advantage of COVID-19 crisis to loot people.
On being asked, what the organization believed was the solution, Abu Hajar, who had extensively took part in the campaign and study asserted that the HESCOM on an immediate basis should respond and should come up with a solution on its own or immediately waive off the extensive amounts of the bill. It also added that it was open to negotiating if the power supply company would charge the highest bill of the consumer in one year before the lockdown.
People on the other hand have also alleged irregularities and lack of response from the local authorities with social media claims adding that in some cases the authorities forced consumers to pay the bills as it has been charged or to face disconnection of power supply. This, the claims added had resulted in people paying off the bills fearing disconnection of power supply.
The organization also added that it had officially contacted HESCOM with their findings through email but claimed that they were yet to get a response from the authority.
Interestingly, similar reports have come in from various parts of the country including in a few places in Karnataka wherein people have alleged scam on the part of power supply companies and have sought the attention of the government to the issue.
Vartha Bharati also tried to contact officials of HESCOM but they were unavailable for immediate comment. The story will be updated as and when we get their comment on the issue.
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Trump administration says its war in Iran has been 'terminated' before 60-day deadline
Washington (AP): The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval.
The statement furthers an argument laid out by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during testimony in the Senate earlier Thursday, when he said the ceasefire effectively paused the war. Under that rationale, the administration has not yet met the requirement mandated by a 1973 law to seek formal approval from Congress for military action that extends beyond 60 days.
A senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the administration's position, said for purposes of that law, “the hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb 28 have terminated.” The official said the US military and Iran have not exchanged fire since the two-week ceasefire that began April 7.
While the ceasefire has since been extended, Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and the US Navy is maintaining a blockade to prevent Iran's oil tankers from getting out to sea.
Under the War Powers Resolution, the law that sought to constrain a president's military powers, President Donald Trump had until Friday to seek congressional authorisation or cease fighting. The law also allows an administration to extend that deadline by 30 days.
Democrats have pushed the administration for formal approval of the Iran war, and the 60-day mark would likely have been a turning point for a swath of Republican lawmakers who backed temporary action against Tehran but insisted on congressional input for something longer.
“That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement,” said Sen Susan Collins, R-Maine, who voted Thursday in favour of a measure that would end military action in Iran since Congress hadn't given its approval. She added that “further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close."
Richard Goldberg, who served as director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction for the National Security Council during Trump's first term, said he has recommended to administration officials to simply transition to a new operation, which he suggested could be called “Epic Passage,” a sequel to Operation Epic Fury.
That new mission, he said, “would inherently be a mission of self-defence focused on reopening the strait while reserving the right to offensive action in support of restoring freedom of navigation.”
“That to me solves it all,” added Goldberg, who is now a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank.
During testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Hegseth said it was the administration's “understanding” that the 60-day clock was on pause while the two countries were in a ceasefire.
Katherine Yon Ebright, counsel at the Brennan Center's Liberty and National Security Program and an expert on war powers, said that interpretation would be a “sizeable extension of previous legal gamesmanship” related to the 1973 law.
“To be very, very clear and unambiguous, nothing in the text or design of the War Powers Resolution suggests that the 60-day clock can be paused or terminated,” she said.
Other presidents have argued that the military action they've taken was not intense enough or was too intermittent to qualify under the War Powers Resolution. But Trump's war in Iran would certainly not be such a case, Ebright said, adding that lawmakers need to push back against the administration on that kind of argument.
