Goa Khabar : AAP Goa State President Valmiki Naik, along with Minority Leader Sarfaraz Ankalgi, Aslam Panjabi and Herton Fernandez, seeked CM’s time to meet a delegation of AAP Leader to discuss on complete waiver of high electricity bills issued to consumers across Goa and for issuing refunds to those who, out of no choice, have already paid the bills. AAP hit out at the BJP Government, sating Though CM had given assurance 12 days back, not a single bill has been rectified till now and hollow statements from the Chief Minister and Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar are not enough and that the government must issue an official notification ordering the complete waiver of all high electricity bills.
Addressing the media, Valmiki Naik stated that AAP has sought an appointment with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to discuss and secure a complete waiver of all high electricity bills that have pushed thousands of families across Goa into financial anxiety. He said the Chief Minister must provide a clear timeline for the total waiver of all high bills and for issuing refunds to consumers who, despite several financial hassles, had to pay bills costing thousands. He reiterated AAP’s demand that all high bills received by consumers over the past several months should be completely waived off and that those who have already paid such bills must receive a full refund.
Valmiki Naik further demanded that the government must streamline electricity supply across Goa, provide uninterrupted 24×7 electricity to every part of the state and that every household in Goa should receive 300 units of free electricity every month, reducing the financial burden on ordinary families. Valmiki Naik claimed that the three demands are in the interest of every Goan and must be implemented by the government, stating that demands are not unrealistic and have already been successfully implemented by AAP governments in Delhi and Punjab. “If AAP can do it, why can’t BJP? The only reason is that BJP lacks the intent to work for people’s welfare,” he said.
He further stated that the Chief Minister and Power Minister should not merely appear before cameras and the media to make hollow statements, but should take concrete action by providing complete waiver. Commom man is being made to wait for relief even after 12 days of CM’s assurance. He said that AAP is seeking CM’s time to demand and discuss complete exemption of high electricity bills and push for official order to be issues to all electricity departments across Goa to completely waive off the bill.
Valmiki Naik stated that despite repeated assurances from the government, no action has been taken on the ground, which shows that the Chief Minister and the Power Minister are together fooling the people, stating that these assurances are being made only because elections are approaching and are intended to influence public opinion. He warned that if the BJP returns to power, people will once again be burdened with heavy charges, penalties and even higher electricity bills and will continue to suffer under BJP’s “electricity extortion machine.” He requested Goans to thus throw the BJP out of Goa because Goa needs a government that genuinely works for the people’s welfare.
AAP Minority Leader Sarfaraz Ankalgi stated that the people of Goa should not blindly trust statements made by Sudin Dhavalikar and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, as the government is only trying to mislead people with elections approaching. He claimed that the BJP Government has no intention of genuinely waiving off the bills and is merely issuing hollow assurances divert attention from its corrupt and extortionist governance.
Sarfaraz demanded that consumers must receive genuine relief instead of empty promises. He stated that the people of Goa deserve action, not announcements, and that AAP will continue to raise the issue until complete relief is provided to every affected consumer.
AAP reiterated that it will continue its struggle until all high electricity bills are officially waived off, refunds are provided to consumers who have already paid such bills and the government delivers affordable and reliable electricity to every household in Goa.
