The monthly electricity bills are part of every household’s list of payments. The rising temperatures, use of air-conditioners, fans and other equipment only lead to increasing power usage, subsequently seen in bills. But there comes a time once a year when the common man can raise his voice against mounting electricity tariffs presented by the power companies. But sometimes the issue is diluted as just another day’s event and many people don’t even come to know about it.

This is what happened on March 16, wherein the first of several public hearings to discuss the proposed tariff structure of Reliance Infrastructure for 2015-16, was held at the World Trade Centre in Cuffe Parade by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC). Sadly, a handful of people that comprised power company representatives, power experts, government officials and the general public, that too senior citizens, attended it. They had come after seeing a small advertisement in newspapers while the younger generation, who actually can make a bigger difference, were busy with routine work.