Dissanayake warns of possible electricity bill spike

COLOMBO (News1st): An opposition lawmaker has warned that cost of electricity bills may soar due to moves to abolish the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) - the country's power industry regulator. "If they increase the price of water or electricity, those matters will be beyond the people's control," Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Jathika Jana Balawegaya leader told reporters on Tuesday. He pointed out that it the PUCSL that inquires into any projects relating to the power sector to prevent any form of irregularity. "The PUCSL is attempting to stop the fraud happening. It is trying to stop the corruption. They are trying to stop the people from being unnecessarily burdened," Dissanayake noted. Accordingly, he criticized the government for acting to abolish the PCUSL instead of preserving it.