Power consumption up due to delay in rains
TNN 30 September 2009

AHMEDABAD: Power consumption has shot up in the rural sector, owing to the delay in rains. The consumption has shot up by about 1000 mega watt
especially in the agriculture sector.

Officials sources said that there was a demand of nearly 10,000 mega watt against the supply of 9,000 mega watt. Officials said usually once the monsoon sets in there was a drop in the demand for electricity from the agriculture sector, but this year because of the irregular rains this year there was a demand for more electricity.

Sources said that the power supply in the agriculture sector was shooting. He said that several units in the state were closed as a result there was a short fall of about 755 mega watt.

The Kisan Sangh has launched an agitation against the irregular supply. The sangh has launched the agitation and had meeting in Junagadh, Patan, Amreli and Himmatnagar.

The Sangh has claimed that the farmers were not getting regular supply for even two hours. In the day the total supply is for six hours but this is not regular supply. Officials said that this was the peak season and the farmers were needing power for the fields to save the standing crop and hence there was increase in the demand.

Officials said that the of the 213.82 million units of which the state run Gujarat state electricity company limited was supplying 83.261 million units while the state was getting another 84.633 million units from the independent power units while 45.927 units was obtained from the Units run by the central governments.

The state has received nearly 74 per cent of rainfall against the annual rainfall of around 96 units. Officials said that there was no rains for the past 15 days which was required to save the standing crops.