Around 117 associations from the region representing industry, trade and consumers on Tuesday gave a charter of demand to District Collector Vipin Itankar here at Civil Lines in the city. Highlighting their oppose to the recent Review Order issued by Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), approximately 600 representatives from these associations jointly urged the authorities to roll back the recent hike of power tariff. The representatives informed the Collector that MERC’s decision will lead to an increase in electricity tariffs in Maharashtra and discourage the use of solar energy.

 

“This will adversely affect the competitiveness and survival of industries, potentially resulting in revenue losses for the state, reduced employment opportunities, and a possible rise in crime,” they said. The associations described MERC’s decision as illegal, citing the absence of a proper public consultation process and a lack of public and regional representation within the commission. Similar representations was also submitted to District Collectors across Maharashtra to bring the matter to the attention of the Energy Minister and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The power consumers emphasized that the new order threatens the identity, existence, and economy of the entire state of Maharashtra. Therefore, they demanded that the order be reconsidered and that the original order issued by MERC after the public hearing held on March 28 2025 be reinstated.