Fearing backlash, Maharashtra rolls back power cuts

Opposition claims electricity being diverted to Gujarat ahead of Assembly polls

Mumbai: Fearing a backlash from consumers over prolonged power outages, the State government has announced withdrawal of load-shedding from several zones, including affected areas in Mumbai. However, Opposition parties and activists were quick to lash out at the announcement on Friday, calling it an attempt to gloss over the state’s failure to manage the demand-supply gap. Senior state officials conceded that the power situation is unlikely to improve until December in the absence of sustained supply of coal. The overall shortage is to the tune of 2,000 to 3000 megawatt every day and the situation is likely to persist, they said.

On Friday, the government claimed that power cut schedules were being rolled back for several A and B zone areas, including Mulund and Bhandup in Mumbai and parts of Pune, Nagpur and Nashik.

MP trolled

Following the unofficial announcement, Member of Parliament (MP) and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya tweeted: “MSEDCL withdraws A,B zone loadsheding(incl Bhandup Mulund)(sic).” The MP was trolled by users from other parts of the state asking why there was a nine-hour shedding in rural areas but a withdrawal for few select zones.

Energy minister Chandrashekhar Bavankule said the situation would be brought under control in less than 15 days. “The coal mine supply was affected because of heavy rainfall while other alternative sources such as wind and solar are not helpful at this point. The total shortage is about 2,000 mw. We will reduce the load shedding totally, at least in Mumbai,” he said in a statement issued late Friday night.

The financial capital of India is witnessing frequent power cuts beginning October first week with the state government struggling to cope with a shortage of 3000 mw of electricity every day. The worst affected areas are in and around Mumbai, which are reporting a sudden spike in demand for power. The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) had announced load shedding in areas of Bhandup, Kalyan and Navi Mumbai during both morning and evening peak hours.

False promises

The Opposition, however, said the BJP has all along lied about promises to make Maharashtra load-shedding free. “One wonders whether the shortage of coal is real or is fabricated as private players seem to be benefiting by power shortage. Sources say that power from the central grid is being diverted to Gujarat as elections are approaching there,” charged Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Mahesh Tapase.

The Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Dhananjay Munde said, “The rural areas are in darkness, our party will agitate against this mismanagement. The BJP had made an election promise that it will free Maharashtra from load shedding but today it seems to have forgotten all about it.”

A statement by the MSEDCL said the demand for morning peak hour was 16,400 mw with load shedding of 800 to 850 mw. During the day peak the demand was 16,300 mw with load shedding of 800 to 900 mw and in the evening peak the demand was 14,500 mw with load shedding 1100 mw.

“Early on in its tenure, the government did not manage power issues properly, including those related to theft and misuse of electricty. This (situation) was waiting to blow up with rising summer temperatures. They should have been better prepared,” said consumer activist Pratap Hogade.