Increase in power tariff to slow moving transport system, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday raised several issues while taking stock of the functioning of several departments as a part of the state’s preparedness for the monsoon and the resulting inundations.

Metro lists some of the concerns Mamata raised.

Power

Mamata said CESC, the lone power utility in the city, has increased its tariff without informing the state government.

“... CESC has increased their tariff by a few paise, I did not know about it... I have heard the power department also did not have any information about it. We have not increased (tariff) of the WBSEDCL. Anyway everything has become so costly. They should have at least spoken to us...,” she said.

CESC, however, has formally refuted the allegations and claimed they have not increased the tariff and a minor raise in the bill was because of a surcharge imposed as per the directive of the Central government.

“We have not increased the tariff. The minor rise in the bill is due to the FPPAS (fuel and power purchase adjustment surcharge), which has been levied from the beginning of this financial year as per the guidelines of the government of India,” the CESC spokesperson told Metro.

Asked why the state government was not informed, a CESC official said: “We have been informing about this surcharge to all our customers by mentioning it at the back of the bill for the last 14 months.”

The CESC also claimed that despite having added the surcharge to the existing tariff, which was implemented in April this year and became payable in the last month of the quarter (June), it still had one of the lowest “gross average power tariffs” compared to utilities in other states.

The official said CESC had not increased its tariff for the last seven years.

Electricity poles

Speaking about the ensuing monsoons and the safety of people, Mamata said extra caution needs to be taken in case there are instances of electricity poles being uprooted.

“If an electricity pole gets uprooted or tilted, it has to be restored immediately,” she said.

“The poles have to be strengthened in future. We can use mangroves or certain plants to strengthen the lamp posts. This can be done with the help of the environment department. Just the way we strengthen the embankments of the (river) Ganga... But this is not applicable in Calcutta. There has to be a separate system for Calcutta.”

Electrocution dangers

Mamata expressed concern over the cases of electrocution that happen during monsoon season. She asked people to stay alert and stay away from live wires after rainfall.

“Please don’t touch live wires. Switch off the TV if there is very heavy rainfall to prevent electrocution. Switch off all lights except one or an emergency light during heavy rainfall. Street lights should be off for some time (during heavy showers) to prevent accidents,” she said. There are a few locations that are prone to electrocution, Mamata said.

Slow-mo transport

Mamata pulled up the transport department saying it was working at a very slow pace. She blamed it for traffic congestions.

“Work of (laying) several roads is stuck resulting in traffic congestion,” she said.

“The department isn’t tackling this seriously. The department moves very slowly. You all should abandon cars and move on cycles or legs.”

She instructed the officials to sit down with the police commissioner of Calcutta, along with the state’s director general of police and the additional director general in charge of the state’s law and order, and draw up a plan to ease traffic congestion.

Transport department officials said they received a report from IIT Kharagpur about ways to improve traffic speed on certain stretches of roads in the state, particularly in urban pockets, including Calcutta.

“We have begun working on the recommendations of IIT about how to control speed and ensure better traffic management,” an official said.

Mamata also asked the department to be prepared with vehicles for emergency evacuation of those who required to be shifted to safe shelters.

Drainage

Mamata instructed the state’s chief secretary to convene a meeting with officials of three railway zones — eastern, south eastern and north frontier — along with Metro railway to discuss ways to improve the drainage system and reduce waterlogging.

The chief minister wasresponding to a statement from the urban development minister and mayor of Calcutta, Firhad Hakim, who informed her that the department faced problems in accessing properties under the railway jurisdiction inHowrah.

Mayor Hakim alleged railway would not allow access to carry out dredging in areas prone to waterlogging.

“Why wouldn’t railway allow? They must take up the task of clearing rubbish, including garbage, sand and pieces of bricks that areleft dumped, in their areas,”Mamata said.

“The railway will have to engage their men to clear these places. Waterlogging will lead to spread of dengue. Then they will start screaming.”

Senior officials of eastern railway said cleanliness drives are carried out regularly.

“Since the chief minister has proposed, we will definitely give necessary importance to this task of cleaning up,” said Kausik Mitra, CPRO,eastern railway.

Police praise

Mamata congratulated the police for carrying out theSafe Life Save Life project that she said is being replicated across the country. She, however, added that accident-prone stretches should be demarcated.

“Most of the accidents happen at night when thereis fog. I have said severaltimes that the black spots that are accident-prone should be demarcated with a ‘Drive Slow’ board. This shouldbe implemented at once,”she said.