Lakshadweep up in arms against government for hike in electricity fares

Adding to their woes is the 100 per cent hike on food and beverages served in ships plying between Lakshadweep and mainland destinations like Kochi and the hike in rentals for the government guest houses earmarked for islanders, here.

Accusing the new BJP government at the Centre for the rise in fares and tariffs, the territorial unit of the Congress in Lakshadweep organised a dharna here, on Tuesday. Leaders of the Lakshadweep Territorial Congress Committee (LTCC) later handed over a memorandum to the managing director of the Society for Promotion of Nature Tourism and Sports (SPORTS), a society run by the Lakshadweep Administration.

The memorandum also sought repeal of the additional clauses that have been classified for obtaining the entry permit to the islands, besides immediate establishment of a burial ground in Kochi for islanders dying in the mainland. It also sought steps for completion of the proposed guest houses in Kozhikode and Mangalore.

Earlier, the dharna was inaugurated by Youth Congress general secretary Sunil Kumar, in the presence of LTCC president Shahul Hameed and general secretaries M.K. Koya and Abdul Salam, besides others.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Lakshadweep MP P.P. Mohammed Faizal said that the Administrator had convened a meeting of the representatives of the people on Wednesday on the complaints about the hike in fares and rents.

“I am sure that we will be able to make the Administration withdraw all the hikes,” he said.