AAP asks govt to publish CAG report on discoms, says its stand 'vindicated'

NEW DELHI: Amid reports of CAG indicting power discoms in the national capital for inflating dues by Rs 8,000 crore, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today asked Delhi Government to take steps to publish the document at the earliest, rationalise electricity tariff and take action against erring companies.

In what is seen as a major victory for the party, the AAP said its stand against power distribution companies (discoms) in Delhi stands "vindicated".

"The Delhi government should take steps so that the CAG report is made public at the earliest as whatever is known today is only through media reports. It should initiate criminal investigation in the case, prosecute the guilty, and recover the public money," AAP spokesperson Dilip Bajpai said at a news conference.

Lashing out at the discoms, AAP Delhi unit secretary Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed, " BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) duped the people of Delhi by Rs 1,062 crore, BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) of Rs 860 crore and Tata Power-DLL (TPDDL) of Rs 1,098 core."

He also attacked the erstwhile Sheila Dikshit government and the BJP over the issue.

"The then DERC chairman Berjinder Singh had said the power bills should be reduced by 23 per cent. Sheila Dikshit knew about this, but did not say anything. Even the BJP was aware of this, but chose to remain quite. It was only when the AAP started talking about it and the issue came to light," Bharadwaj said.

Inflated power bills was one of the major election issues that the AAP raised during the December 2013 and February 2015 Assembly polls. Following its victory in December 2013, the AAP's 49-day government had initiated a CAG audit of power discoms operating in the national capital.

The party also attacked the Delhi Regulatory Electricity Commission (DERC) for not checking the books of discoms.

"The DERC was supposed to keep an eye on these discoms. But did not check its books and the officers at DERC supported the illegal practice of power discoms. Even the government appointed nominees in these power discoms turned a blind eye to what was happening," Bajpai alleged.