Chandigarh, July 26 -- Residents vehemently opposed the proposed hike in electricity tariffs during a public hearing conducted by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) on Friday. The hearing was held in response to a petition submitted by Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited (CPDL), seeking approval for revised tariffs for the financial years 2025-26 to 2029-30. In its petition, CPDL stated that the projected revenue from power sales at the current rates is insufficient to meet the estimated costs of efficient electricity distribution. The utility company has projected a cumulative revenue gap of Rs.982 crore (excluding carrying costs) over the next five years and has requested a suitable tariff revision to cover the shortfall. Residents, however, expressed strong resentment over the proposed hike, citing that tariffs had already been increased recently. Indian Citizens' Forum (ICF) president SK Nayar and secretary Narinder Sharma pointed out that CPDL has launched a load self-declaration scheme for low-tension (LT) consumers. They claimed the form provided is neither approved by the JERC nor in accordance with the JERC Supply Code, making it difficult for consumers to fill correctly. This, they said, could lead to inflated bills due to misdeclared load and requested that the scheme be put on hold until proper approval is obtained.htc...