Crusade against Power Cuts-Day 5

Joining hands with student community the Consumer Right Forum, Ziro on 28-11-2006 called first phase of Bandh and Chakka Bandh, crippling normal life of Ziro Hapoli Township. This was in reciprocation of non-fulfillment of their ultimatum of restoring normal power supply by requisitioning additional 3 MW from the grid.

On the present power crisis the Arunachal Times reports: -

"………according to highly placed sources, while RHEP (Ranganadi Hydroelectric Project) had been supplying 74 MW to the 100 MW needs of the entire NE States including the state, Arunachal's need is pegged at 12 MW. Presently it is said the state is managing with a meager 2.5 MW central allocation."

Either the highly placed sources hasn't done his homework well as the 12 MW of power needed by entire state is in contrast with the power need of capital alone, which was around 15 MW during the year 2000 (and which I presume has increased since then) or if the highly placed source is from Power Department, then it is to cover up for their laxity in management of power demand of the state. Can you imagine, entire state managing with just 500 kW of load (Ziro itself is supposedly managing with 2 MW of load from the 2.5 MW central allocation)?

It also reports of 'massive exercises' (I wonder what it may be if RHEP is out and generation in the NE grid is low) being carried out by the Power Department, District Administrations and state level Authorities to restore normalcy urgently and Executive Engineer Ziro Electricity Division has assured of 'some improvement' within 10 to 15 days time. Hope he live upto his assurance and end the dual misery of Bandh and power cuts of people of Ziro Hapoli Township.