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| Power shortage hits Uttarakhand industry |
| Shishir Prashant / New Delhi/ Dehra Dun Jun 08, 2009, 00:09 IST |
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Industrial production in Uttarakhand has been affected considerably due to low voltage and severe power crisis.
Moreover, the government has decided not to overdraw power from the national grid at higher rates. During the past two months, which was also the election time, Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL), a loss-making state government undertaking, had bought power from the grid worth Rs 40-50 crore.
But after elections, the government directed UPCL not to buy power at higher rates triggering a power crisis.
Chambers claim industrial output in the state has decreased 20-25 percent due to low voltage and power shortage. They have submitted memoranda in this regard to chief minister BC Khanduri. Industrial department officials too admitted that the industrial production was on the decline.
The chambers have already discounted the slowdown factor in this regard. “The government has to take concrete steps to shape up the power scenario in our state,” said Pankaj Gupta, president of the Industries Association of Uttarakhand.
Officials at manufacturing units like Bajaj Auto, Tata Motors and HUL also said the industrial production was getting affected.
As Uttarkahand is mainly dependent on its hydropower, the river water had receded reducing production. The demand for power in Uttarakhand has gone up to 25-26 million units from 17 million units per day this year.
“The increase of 8-10 million units of electricity demand was due to rapid industrialisation and other factors in Uttarakhand,” an official of the UPCL said. Apart from this, Uttarakhand’s share of power in the central pool has also decreased.
Uttarakhand is overdrawing nearly 2.5 million units at higher rates. In this regard, the UPCL had stated that emergency power cut was inevitable in the state.
Besides, the state is resorting to return power to Delhi and other states under a banking arrangement. Maintenance halt of various power houses is also adding to the woes.
In Dehra Dun district, the UPCL is resorting to 3 to 4 hour power cut in various localities. Situation is equally bad in other parts of the state.
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