Power supply far from being satisfactory

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, June 21

Claims of the two power companies, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL), of having enough power to meet the spurt in the demand during the paddy-sowing season could be taken on their face value but the fact remains that the power supply to most segments continues to be far from being satisfactory.

NIGHT ORDEAL

Residents of various localities complain that power failure due to faults in transmission lines or transformers take hours to be rectified, especially when the power fails during the night.

There is virtual uproar among the farmers, for whom the power supply is the life line during this particular period when paddy sowing is in full swing, as also among the urban population, who face frequent power outages in the hot weather, simply because the distribution network has not been strengthened enough to take the peak-time load.

Residents of various localities complain that power failure due to faults in transmission lines or transformers take hours to be rectified, especially when the power fails during the night.

During the past couple of days, residents in at least three localities of Bhamia Kalan, Kakowal and Durgapuri had to spend sleepless nights due to power failure late in the night. “The situation is no different even in posh areas such as the PAU campus, Civil Lines, Dugri and residential colonies across Ferozepur Road, where frequent tripping has become a routine rather than exception, making people fret and fume during sultry weather,” says a resident of Haibowal.

Senior officials of the PSPCL claim that all through the year, comprehensive maintenance and infrastructure development works were undertaken to enhance capacity of the distribution network. “New sub-stations and transformers were installed, feeders under-loaded and capacity of the distribution network was enhanced by at least 25 per cent to ensure improvement in the quality of power supply and to minimise disruption in supply,” said officials.

However, the experience of the consumers from the domestic, commercial, industrial or agricultural sector has been rather unsatisfactory. “The PSPCL is even now taking power shutdown of four to eight hours in many areas for maintenance and capacity-related works when summer and paddy sowing season are at peak. That is what the preparedness of the power utility is all about,” observed a resident of Guru Nanakpura locality.

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