Even as Uttar Pradesh stared at an acute power crisis following the coal strike, an intensive drive against power theft, pilferage and line losses in the State will be launched from January 12.
A video conferencing on the subject was conducted by the Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan with the District Magistrates, district police chiefs and senior power engineers at the Yojana Bhawan on Wednesday. The Principal Secretary (Energy) Sanjay Agarwal, Principal Secretary (Home) Devashish Panda and the ADG ( Law and Order) Mukul Goel were present in the video conferencing where detailed instructions to the officials were given by the Chief Secretary.
Mr. Ranjan instructed the officials that “anti-power theft” power stations” should be set up for taking up cases related to power theft and line losses. He said that steps should be taken to ensure 22 hours power supply in urban areas and 16 hours supply in rural areas by 2016.
State IG ( Law and Order), A. Satish Ganesh told reporters that the campaign will run in three phases with the first phase devoted to creating awareness among the people on the ills of power theft. In the second phase, areas notorious for power theft and the persons and factories involved in tampering of meters would be identified. Finally, an intensive combing drive would be launched against the defaulters. The combing exercise will be conducted by the power engineers with the help of the police force.
“The allotment of police teams will be in accordance with the requirement submitted by the district authorities,” the IG (Law and Order), A. Satish Ganesh said. He added the power officials have been assured of police assistance in the drive.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh was faced with the prospect of a severe power crisis as a result of the coal strike, which entered its second day on Wednesday. The chairman of All India Power Engineers Federation Shailendra Dubey said on an average about 65,000 metric tones of coal is needed daily by the public sector power utilities in the State. The power stations are being run by the coal in the reserve stock, Mr. Dubey said. “The possibility of the 1400 megawatt Parichha thermal power station and 600 mw Harduaganj power station being shut down in the next two days cannot be ruled out,” he said. According to him, the coal available with these power stations can only last for two days.
About the possibility of power crisis looming large, an official spokesman said that efforts are underway to ensure the availability of coal rakes which are in the pipeline. The spokesman said while the coal available with the Obra will last for 22 days, that in Anpara power station will last for 10 days and Panki, eight days. Harduaganj’s coal stock is almost nil and that in Parichha will last for just one day, the spokesman added. Power cuts as a result of the non-availability of adequate coal in the power stations has not been ruled out.
Power crisis looms large in the State following coal strike
