K'taka CM to call industrial bodies for discussion on power tariff as KCCI calls for bandh on Jun 22
Bengaluru, Jun 18: In the wake of outrage by certain industrial bodies over hike in electricity tariff rate, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said he would call a meeting with the industrialists for discussions regarding the concerns.
The Chief Minister said the uproar was uncalled for as the electricity bills will come down from next month onwards.
As the Hubballi-based Karnatak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) gave a call for bandh on June 22, the Chief Minister said the office-bearers of industrial bodies were invited to clear the doubts.
"To convince them, facts and figures have been given. I hope that they are convinced. Our officials also called them and spoke to them," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
According to him, the power bills looked exorbitant to some because people had received the charges for two months.
"Tariff will not come down. It is appearing heavy because two months' bill was given. Next month onwards, the bills will be given for each month. Subsequently, the billing amount will come down.
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Giving a call for the bandh, the KCCI said in a statement to its members that the price hike in the electricity charges was abnormal.
"We request all the trade and industry to close their establishments on June 22. This is in protest of abnormal price hike in the electricity charges by Electricity Supply Companies (ESCOMs)," KCCI said.
It said that for the past eight days it made attempts to convey the seriousness of the impact of the hike in electricity charges.
"However, no solution is forthcoming from the officials or government representatives," it said.
Sandeep Bidasaria, acting president of KCCI, clarified that they were not going against the government but were lodging their protest with a hope that their voice is heard. He requested the government to listen to them and find a remedy.
The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), a large business body of the state, has not responded to the KCCI's bandh call.
Days after announcing the launch of 'Gruha Jyoti' scheme, one of the poll guarantees of the Congress government offering free domestic electricity up to 200 units, the power tariff was increased by Rs 2.89 per unit.
The Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) said the hike was due to fuel and power purchase cost adjustment (FPPCA) and arrears from April.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
