Successive grid collapses in three regions on Tuesday were described as the country’s worst power crisis. Large parts of the country faced blackouts for prolonged duration as authorities grappled to restore the Northern, Eastern and the North Eastern grids.
After the grid collapse, the outgoing Union Power Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde, blamed grid code violation by several States for throwing the power system into disarray.
Hours after more than 20 States had their power supply snapped, Mr. Shinde said work to restore the supply was being carried out on a war-footing. A little before he was announced as the new Home Minister, Mr. Shinde issued a warning to the States violating the grid code and said penal action would be taken against those who continued to over draw electricity.
However, Veerappa Moily, who was given additional charge of the Power Ministry, said a blame-game could not be started with the States, and the Ministry had to keep in touch with the development of the country.
This is result of populist measures such as free electricity and unrealistic electricity pricing. Couple those 2 measures with lack proper investment and power theft, the result is there for everyone to see. At the end of the day only realistic pricing with proper investment in power sector will rectify the situation.
In my view this is required for people to realize that nothing is free.
Water shortages, power grid failures, dangerous highways, failure to
provide medical help to the common man etc are very much symptomatic
of a corrupt government which lacks a vision for not only the present
but future needs of the populace and the economic growth of the
country. Also these incidents foretell the failure of the planning
commission in charting 5 year plans that are proper for the
development of the country. As a person of Indian origin I felt bad
when Times Magazine called Manmohan Singh a "do good nothing PM of
India".Looking in a non patriotic way, realistically what has he as PM
and the UPI did for the country? He as PM is keeping his chair warm
for Rahul who except for the NEHRU DYNASTY has very little to
show.Most Ministers are corrupt. Do they care for the country? NO. In
every avenue China is far too ahead for India to get any closer. The
YOUTH of India are sleeping. Honest people lost their voice. Can India
gain 8% growth?I doubt it.God save our beloved country.
With billions spent on the power sector over the last couple of decades, one would have expected at the minimum a failsafe system in place to automatically cut off erring states that draws power from the national grid without notice and sanction.
Only such measures when really implemented and not remaining just on papaer can ensure there is no repeat of the black out.
Actually, this is a scenario that ought to have been on the agenda of the NDMA which functions under the PM!
If states are overdrawing power then where the power is going as homes
in UP do not get sufficient power. The powercut varies from 10-12 hours
in urban areas and rural areas have the same amount in a week.From this
we can understand the deficieny of powerI think state as well as centre
should be answerable to these situations.
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