Literally we do not have power?!! Should we always be in the dark!!

[Somasekhar V K -- GRAHAK SHAKTI]

These are key issues that we must debate and also find solutions by bringing experts to brainstorm. All of us know the story and it smacks us on our face when it is publicly revealed? I think these are matters that we must take up seriously and methodically rather than discuss mere individuals achievements and self praise!! Please give it a serious thought.

Somasekhar V K
Managing Trustee: Grahak Shakti

Elections gone, power supply goes haywire

 

BANGALORE: No sooner are the BBMP polls over than the power situation has begun to play truant here as elsewhere in the State.

The City has been experiencing frequent power disruptions since Sunday evening, soon after polling for the 198 civic wards ended. All through Monday, for hours together there was no power supply in several parts of the City. In many pockets the government’s scheduled power cuts returned at a time when the SSLC examinations are still on.

The return to the woeful days of some months back flies in the face of the State govern ment’s promise of uninterrupted power supply for Bangaloreans, especially students appearing for the SSLC and PUC examinations.

The government’s promise sounded hollow on Monday when Bescom issued three releases, announcing that there would be power cuts in certain areas of the City for long hours.

About a couple of months ago, the State government introduced scheduled one-hour load-shedding for Bangalore, three hours for other cities in the State and 12 hours in the rural areas.

For the past one month or so, in the run-up to the BBMP polls, Bangalore residents were spared the load-shedding and other unscheduled power cuts.

Officials from the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) and the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited attributed the overnight problem to a techni cal snag at the Bellary thermal plant. Energy Department Secretary K Jairaj said the Bellary plant could not generate power due to a technical problem which “resulted in a loss of 500 MW. We have been told that things would be alright soon”, he said. KPCL Managing Director M Jaamdar said the Bellary unit is expected to function normally midnight.

“A belt collapsed in the unit. It is a minor problem which would be set right tonight.From last one month, the Bellary unit and the Raichur units have been functioning to their maximum”.

However, KPTCL Managing Director Latha Krishna Rao said things have been going hay wire for the past four daysThe supply from the State and the Central grid as well as private suppliers has fallen short of the promised mark.

Lack of coal supply to power plants and under generation due to various reasons was causing the problem, she said.

Overdrawing of power Nadu from the Southern grid, Rao said, was the primary reason for shortfall. “While these hiccups stabilised Sunday resulting in a regular supply, the BTPS developed problems on Sunday night” she said.

Rao said the magnitude of the problem would be realised on Tuesday morning and ruled out the issue being resolved before Wednesday afternoon.Regardless of these nagging issues, officials were evasive in their response on whether the government had reintroduced load-shedding and when normalcy would return. KTPCL sources said there has been a shortfall of 300 MW for the past several months. This, they explained, has now touched 800 MW with the breakdown of the Bellary unit. Besides, the situation has been steadily worsening because on increasing demands.

According to Jairaj, “in line with the Chief Minister’s directions all efforts are being made to provide continuous power supply. We do not want to cause in convenience to students. Certain things are beyond our control since supply to Karnataka is dependent on Central generation”.

The State Cabinet on Monday decided to immediately purchase 350 MW from cogeneration sugar mills in the State.Chief Minister S Yeddyurappa who said that he was committed to ensuring adequate power during examination attributed the disruption to failure of Bellary unit and said load shedding had not been re-introduced. DH News Service

 

[Mahesh Bhat]

Actually the situation is rediculous. In 21st century, our state is marching towards the dark ages.

According to Jairaj, “in line with the Chief Minister’s directions all efforts are being made to provide continuous power supply. We do not want to cause in convenience to students. Certain things are beyond our control since supply to Karnataka is dependent on Central generation”. - This statement of Mr.Jairaj is also laughable. It's only during summer months officials and ministers make these statement. What about the other times of the year, when there are no exams, don't they want to supply power - a basic necessity in today's life? Rural Karnataka has been facing power crunch for years now..

What plans to they have to increase power generation/supply? Why aren't we questioning this this?

Is there any long term plan to improve the situation?

We the citizens are also an apathetic lot. We do not question or make ourselves heard. Rich people install gensets, poor are too busy earning their daily bread and the middle class are just nor bothered. I guess we deserve this...

 

Mahesh Bhat

 

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[Somasekhar V K -- GRAHAK SHAKTI]

Yes Mr Mahesh Bhat, we let such things skip and the officials are too smart. Especially officials like Jairaj who are very smart. We recall an incident when Jairaj was shifted from BMP, he was furious and would not take it lying down. Unfortunately he cannot voice his protest officially as it will attract indiscipline. So as the Secretary of the Management's Association and working in tandem with Captain Mani (of The Hindu who is no more) He cleverly organised a two day programme and used newer terms `"Take aways" and one of them was about transfer of officials which according to him should be for not less than 5 yrs!! So these people take full advantage of the ignorance and weakness of Politicians to play their tricks.

This is yet another of that!! It is quite unfortunate that we are not united and strong to take on such bigots!! Karnataka has lost several good IAS officers to the centre and only those who know to sing peens and push on are left overs and we suffer from such `Babus'.

In Karnataka, we have officials who have just adopted " Kham chalo sarkar" and are not creative or proactive. They are too used to the Congress Culture and are treating the BJP Government as a Probationary period and closely watching it.

Somasekhar V.K

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