CHANDIGARH, April 1 -- The Chandigarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) on Tuesday launched an attack on the functioning of Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited (CPDL), warning the company to immediately streamline its operations or face a major public agitation. CPCC president HS Lucky alleged that since CPDL took over electricity distribution in the city, residents have been grappling with persistent issues. He criticised the shift from a bi-monthly to a monthly billing system, stating that the move has placed an unnecessary financial burden on consumers while benefiting the company through advance payments. Raising further concerns, Lucky claimed that in several instances, consumers were issued electricity bills twice within the same month, reflecting what he termed as a "disorganised and anti-consumer approach." He also accused the company of exploiting its workforce, saying multiple employees had approached the Congress with complaints regarding alleged violations of service rules and administrative norms. The Congress leader also flagged frequent power outages reported in various parts of the city in recent days, alleging that CPDL failed to respond promptly, thereby causing inconvenience to residents. Recalling the party's earlier opposition to the privatisation of the electricity department, Lucky said the Congress had staged a 10-day protest outside Nehru Park, warning against the entry of a private player. "What we had feared is now unfolding. Citizens are bearing the consequences," he said, while also targeting the BJP for supporting the move. He further criticised the decision to increase electricity tariffs by 2% annually, leading to a cumulative hike of around 11% over five years, terming it an added burden on the common man. Lucky said a delegation of CPDL officials had recently met him, during which he raised key concerns related to consumers and employees and urged immediate corrective measures. Issuing a fresh warning, he said the party would press for strict administrative action and launch a large-scale agitation if the company fails to address public grievances....