M A I L B A G

Tackle power crisis on a war footing

Power cuts have made life quite miserable. The onus for this squarely lies on the electrification of the countryside carried out at break-neck speed to garner votes. The uncontrolled proliferation of urban conglomerations has also increased the demand. The western designs of urban buildings have made life totally dependent on electricity.

The cost of power production through hydel, thermal and nuclear plants is extremely high. Electricity becomes costlier if one adds the transmission and distribution charges to the cost of production. The supply of free power to certain sections on political considerations has made the situation messy.

Every Indian should realise the value of electricity and refrain from wasting it for luxurious living. In the Seventies, the late King of Iran, Raza Pehlvi, once said that petrol was too valuable a commodity to be wastefully burnt out by the vehicles. Taking a cue from this, we should learn to be more prudent in consuming power.

The government should explore ways and means to tackle the power crisis on a war footing.

S.S. BENIWAL, Chandigarh

II

With the onset of summer, there is power crisis everywhere including Delhi. Though the National Capital alone is in need of 3,400 MW, the overall production is only 2,400 MW. Thus, there is a shortfall of 800 MW of electricity in Delhi alone. If this is the case of the National Capital, what would be the fate of the rest of the country?

If power is very much important for the country’s development, this problem must be given priority. There is need to develop suitable alternatives to electricity.

VIPAN KUMAR, Amritsar

III

I refer to the news-item “PSEB grapples with rising cases of power theft” (May 5). The PSEB officers have failed to take action against the culprits for reasons best known to them. Take the example of Guru Gobind Singh Thermal Plant. There are hundreds of jhuggies inside and outside the plant which are major sources of power theft, but no action has been taken against anyone. The PSEB Enforcement staff visit the site but they don’t take any action. Moreover, the slum dwellers rent out their hutments to others.

Accountability must be fixed on the General Manager for power theft. Action must be taken against the culprits to save the public from power cuts.

KULAWANT SINGH, Nabha

IV

The Supreme Court has banned overloading of all transport vehicles. Overloading has led to avoidable consumption of diesel and increased exhaust emission, polluting the environment. The extra transport burden passed on to the consumer has resulted in the cost escalation of all articles of mass consumption like food grains, cement etc. The prices of food grains have more than doubled.

Our oil import bill has gone up drastically. Can we afford it? The oil reserves are fast depleting. We must conserve oil by all possible means at our disposal. The laws should be suitably amended for the purpose.

R.C. GOYAL, Kurukshetra