SKHF requests govt to waive off fixed electricity charges for six months

The South Kerala Hotelier’s Forum (SKHF) has urged the state government to waive off fixed electricity charges for the next six months, instead of allowing deferment of the same.

Most of the other states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat etc have already waived of fixed charges for HT consumers since March 2020. These states have big factories and industries where the fixed charges are huge. Still, these states were the first to announce such big relief measures to consumers, SKHF secretary general Manoj Babu said.

“We had requested the Kerala government for waiver of fixed charges. But as the fixed charges are for contracted demand, the government and KSEB have only agreed to defer it,” he said.

“We would like to bring to the notice of the Govt of Kerala, KSEB and KSERC that unlike other industries, the recovery of the tourism industry (especially hotels and resorts) will be much delayed as it will take time for tourists to start travelling again and hence we plead to reconsider the waiver of electricity fixed charges for the next six months,” he said.

SKHF had earlier placed on record the appreciation to Kerala government and Kerala Tourism in taking timely action for containing COVID 19 pandemic in the state. The steps taken by the state were both strict and humane and measures taken by Kerala Tourism in the repatriation of stranded foreign tourists have been exceptional and praiseworthy, Manoj Babu added.