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Recently, a woman in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, posted an online post about a significant spike in natural gas bills, and then her husband was approached by her company to talk to her, and even her boss came forward to pressure her to delete the post. At present, the problem of natural gas costs needs to be solved urgently, and companies and regulators also need to reflect on how to correctly recognize and respond to the reasonable demands of the people.
The causes and effects of the surge in natural gas bills
At present, residents in many parts of the mainland have reported that the cost of natural gas has increased to varying degrees. According to the data, in the first three quarters of 2022, the price of natural gas for urban residents across the country increased by 14.9% year-on-year.
There are many reasons for the surge in costs, including the general environment of rising international energy prices and the impact of the mainland's reform of the mechanism to regulate natural gas prices. The rise in prices has had a certain impact on the lives of the majority of residents, and has also increased the cost of gas for enterprises.
However, we should also realize that adjusting the natural gas pricing mechanism to make it more market-oriented can promote gas conservation, improve energy efficiency, and help optimize the energy structure.
On the premise of ensuring the basic gas needs of residents, appropriate price increases can also promote the sustainable development of the industry. The key point is to properly handle the relationship between different stakeholders and prevent the negative impact of price adjustment from being excessively concentrated in specific groups.
Companies should face up to the demands of the public and maintain good communication with the regulatory authorities
At present, many users are puzzled and worried about the sudden and significant increase in fees. When faced with demands, enterprises should not sit idly by, let alone simply use the words "reasonable price adjustment", but should respond positively with an open and rational attitude, increase transparency, and provide necessary assistance if conditions permit, so as to alleviate the practical difficulties of users.
Enterprises need to maintain good communication with the regulatory authorities, reflect user demands and industry conditions, and jointly study policies to further improve the price formation mechanism and protect people's livelihood, and cannot blindly "solve problems" by pressuring users to delete posts. Enterprises should also pay attention to promoting employees to express their opinions correctly and rationally, and not to resist the regulatory authorities excessively.
Regulators should fully respect people's rights and respond flexibly
When responding to similar incidents, regulatory authorities need to fully respect the public's legitimate rights such as the right to know and the right to express themselves, and cannot simply suppress the expression of public opinion in the name of "rumor-mongering" or "reactionary".
Even if there is indeed inappropriate remarks, it should be handled carefully, and it is not possible to delete the post or interview the user's husband, which can easily trigger social repercussions.
Regulators also need to be flexible and respond to public demands in a timely manner, such as explaining the reasonableness of price adjustments, or actively helping users in difficulty, rather than putting pressure on users in a rigid manner. Only by maintaining rational dialogue and good interaction among all parties can a positive cycle be formed in the course of reform.
Strengthen system building and social governance, and achieve a balance between the interests of multiple parties
In the long run, in order to promote reform in a steady and orderly manner, it is necessary to strengthen work in the following aspects:
Improve the mechanism for the formation of natural gas prices to prevent prices from getting out of control. Further improve the pricing method, reasonably determine reasonable costs, reasonable profit margins, etc. Strengthen the supervision of gas companies, standardize service behavior, and protect the rights and interests of users. Establish a sound service evaluation and supervision mechanism.
Establish a financial subsidy and social assistance system to ensure the basic living gas needs of groups in need. Appropriate subsidies will be given to low-income and other vulnerable groups.
Enhance the capacity of judicial safeguards, improve dispute resolution mechanisms, and build a good social governance system. Protect the lawful rights of the people in accordance with the law, and regulate the conduct of all parties. Enhance the public's ability to express their opinions rationally, and form a rational and orderly public opinion field.
The issue of natural gas prices is wide-ranging and requires the joint efforts of all parties. We need to deeply analyze the crux of the problem, take positive actions, and promote the formation of a stable and sustainable development pattern. It is believed that through the joint efforts of all sectors of society, the rights and interests of all parties will be better balanced and balanced.
Statement: This article has been opened for rights protection on the whole network, and plagiarism is not allowed, and offenders will be investigated. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!