‘Power’ to people, in fits and starts

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 20

Power supply has been adversely affected throughout the state following the shutdown of one unit of the thermal power plant at Khedar in Hisar and disruption in supply from two lines on the northern grid.

Unscheduled power cuts, running into hours, are being forced on various categories of consumers — domestic, non-domestic and industrial.

Power distribution companies, also called discoms, imposed power regulatory measures with effect from Saturday on domestic, agricultural and dhani connections, cutting power supply by between an hour and a half and two hours and a half.

Sources said both units of Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Plant at Khedar had been shut for a few days in the wake of protests after an accident on May 8, in which three workers were killed and many injured.

The sources said power supply through long-term agreements had also been adversely affected, aggravating the situation.

PK Das, Additional Principal Secretary, Power Department, said the plant was functional again and would soon start producing electricity to its optimum capacity.

The sources said Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam had, through circulars issued on Saturday, reduced supply to rural domestic consumers from 13 hours a day to 11 hours and a half per day.

Domestic consumers in villages were being supplied power from 7 pm to 5 am and for an hour and a half during the day. Those staying in dhanis were getting power for 11 hours and a half.

Agriculture consumers, earlier getting power for eight hours a day to run their tubewells, were now getting electricity for six hours each for three days and five hours each for the next three days.

“May is the most crucial month for farmers as almost all crops, be it cotton, sugarcane or vegetables, need irrigation during this period. The government is out to destroy agriculture by denying power to farmers at a time when they need it the most,” said Satpal Kaushik, former state Congress general secretary.

He alleged that the state government had not added a single unit to the existing power-generation capacity and surrendered power generated by the Jhajjar plant, saying it was not required.

The problem was more acute in urban areas, where at least six unscheduled power cuts were being imposed within 24 hours.

Das asserted that the inconvenience was temporary as the problem effecting disruption in supply from the northern grid had been resolved.

He added that the second unit of the Khedar plant had started operations and would start generating power to its optimum capacity soon.

It’s an ordeal

• Domestic consumers in villages are being supplied power from 7 pm to 5 am and for an hour and a half during the day. Those staying in dhanis are getting power for 11 hours and a half.
• Agriculture consumers, earlier getting power for eight hours a day to run their tubewells, are now getting electricity for six hours each for three days and five hours each for the next three days.