GUWAHATI, May 10 � There was no improvement in the power scenario of the State for the eighth consecutive day today. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today reviewed the scene and directed the Power Department to take immediate steps for improving the dismal power situation.
The State today had a shortfall of around 440 MW in power supply during the peak load hours. Its off-peak load shortfall today was around 255 MW. The Karbi Langpi Hydel Project generated 40 MW of power during the daytime and evening today, said Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) sources.
Meanwhile, State�s Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi today left for Borsaki village in Jalpaiguri district near New Alipurduwar to personally take stock of the damage caused by storm to the two towers of the 400-KV Binnaguri-Bongaigaon circuit. The minister is accompanied by a team of senior officials led by Debopriya Das, Director Technical of the APDCL, sources in the power company said.
Meanwhile, the sufferings of the people due to the dismal power scenario have worsened during these pre-monsoon hot-weather condition days. Greater Guwahati Citizens� Coordination Committee president Col PC Choudhury alleged that around 90 per cent of the Guwahatians, who use pump sets to draw water from tanks and wells, have been facing serious problems.
The Government should declare holidays in those government offices which are not connected with the essential services in view of the present power scenario. The street lamps should also be kept off to provide power to the households, he said.
Further, he said the burden of power cuts should be equally distributed among the common people, ministers and officers with notified schedule for loadshedding.
According to housewife Anju Bhattacharyya Goswami of Pub Sarania, the situation is horrible. There is problem in pumping water to the overhead tanks, washing and ironing clothes and cooking.
Staying indoors without electric fans has also become uncomfortable due to the hot weather condition. Moreover, the food items kept in the refrigerators are also damaged due to power failure, she said.
Agriculture Department officer Maitreyi Sarma said that the dismal power situation has resulted in a lot of problems for the housewives. Children are facing serious problems as their examinations are round the corner.
She further said that as an officer, she has been facing problems in carrying out her official duties as the computers, Xerox and fax machines are not operable.
Newspaper industry sources point out that the industry is finding it difficult to cope with the situation. Most of the sophisticated machines used in the newspaper houses are getting affected due to the heavy loadshedding. The failure of the APDCL to continue power supply even for a short period at a stretch has also been resented.
Further, they said, if the APDCL can give a loadshedding schedule, it will be convenient for the industry to remain prepared and switch over to their own captive generation sets in time so as to prevent damage to their machines.
Classes in the educational institutions, particularly in the science laboratories, have been hit hard by the present power situation. Though with its diesel generation set, the Gauhati University (GU) could keep power supply to its academic departments intact and its solar panels are also keeping the administrative building illuminated, the Cotton College has been facing problems in running its classes, particularly its practical classes.
Moreover, classrooms have also become gloomy and hot due to prolonged power cuts, said sources in the college.
However, hostel boarders in GU and other educational institutions have been facing a lot of problems including the ones related with sanitation and reading. The semester examinations of the University are round the corner.
Kamakhya Debutter Board general secretary Navakanta Sarma said that the temple is getting power for around nine hours a day and the rest of the day it has been depending on its 250 KV diesel generator and during the evening hours, it is getting the support of the 16 solar lamps to keep its campus and surroundings illuminated.
