Power cuts: People feel left out in cold Cuts cost industry Rs 500 to 600 crore a month
Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 4
Affected by global meltdown, the state’s industry and exports have been losing between Rs 500 and 600 crore due to power cuts imposed by the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB).

Meanwhile, life has come to a standstill in urban and rural areas due to day-time power cuts from four to eight hours a day even as the PSEB has been trying to pass the buck to factors like lack of coal supply due to fog in the region.

Already the poor power situation has deteriorated and domestic, industrial and commercial consumers have been made to run homes and establishments with diesel generating sets which contribute to pollution and push up industrial cost by 10 to 11 per cent.

PSEB chairman YS Ratra and his team had claimed in summer that the board would have surplus power and there would be no power cuts in winter.

While urban and rural areas have four to eight-hour-long power cuts in the peak of winters, units of the state are being made to have two weekly offs as cuts, three-hour daily peak-hour cuts and three to three-and-half hours of un-scheduled cuts, leading huge losses, particularly when the industry is facing meltdown coupled with lack of incentives.

“If we calculate the two weekly offs, daily three-hour peak hour cuts and daily three-hour unscheduled cuts, it means we are working for three-and-a-half to four days a week. It has pushed up cost by 10 to 11 per cent and leading to loss of Rs 500 to 600 crore a month to the state’s industry. Now the PSEB says units are being allowed to work between 9 pm and 5 am. But who will come and work in units at these odd hours?” rued SC Ralhan, chairman, Engineering Export Promotion Council of India (North Region).

Ashwani Kohli, vice-president, Punjab Chamber of Small Exporters, alleged that long power cuts had hit production in small units across Punjab manufacturing cycle parts, diesel engines and parts, sports goods, nut and bolts, steel pipes, textiles, combine and threshers and utensils.

“How can we compete globally by not running units 15 days in a month? Production cost has increased by 12-13 per cent as units are run on diesel generators,” complained Kohli.

Describing the PSEB as the "biggest ailing public sector unit", president of the Federation of Small Industries Association VP Chopra alleged that the PSEB top brass was going overboard in exhorting people to adopt CFLs, but in fact it had failed to manage itself despite promises.

“Power cuts have been running for years and we have got fed up of promises of PSEB top officials that the power situation is going to improve,” said Chopra.