M A I N   N E W S

Power Pangs
Haryana
Farmers, industry take a hit
Geetanjali Gayatri
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 23
Reeling under soaring temperatures, an elusive monsoon and frequent power outages, Haryana is in the grip of a power crisis this summer. There has been a nearly 67% deficit in rainfall with demand rising by 180 lakh units (LUs) per day, over and above the projected demand of 950 units.

Against an average demand of 1,130 LUs power supply is hovering at about 1,060 LUs, resulting in a daily shortfall of 70 units. The situation is all the more critical as transplantation of paddy is under way. This despite the fact that the power utilities are purchasing electricity from all possible sources to bridge the gap and manoeuvring the supply available to feed all consumers.

It has been a double whammy for farmers as the rain gods are not obliging and the four to five hours of erratic power supply is insufficient to undertake paddy transplantation. They have now taken to the streets in protest in Kaithal, Karnal, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts, among other areas.

Says Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesman Sewa Ram Arya: “We should be over with paddy transplantation before the monsoon sets in. However, the four-hour supply is punctuated with frequent tripping.” Haryana’s industry, too, has been jolted by the present power crisis. Still trying to recover from the losses incurred as a fallout of the global recession, factories that were only beginning to get orders are unable to meet supply deadlines resulting in cancellation of orders.

Haryana Chamber of Commerce & Industry general secretary Vishnu Goyal said industrial production had slumped by nearly 40 per cent due to the long power cuts.

Power utility officials blame the present crisis on the lack of rainfall. “We have made short-term arrangements for power from Himachal and Chattisgarh. We are also into power trading with Karnataka and are tapping all other possible sources,” said Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam MD Vijendra Kumar.