Letters: Power play

This refers to Indira Rajaraman’s article “The power grid knockout” (August 21). The writer has advocated revitalising the Inter State Council (ISC) – under Article 263 of the Constitution – to resolve interstate electric power sharing problems on the sound premise that our power shortage and outage issues have risen from the failure of the Centre and the states. Possibly, the role of the states in the power generation-transmission-distribution chain is more pronounced. Transmission losses in India are very high – up to 50 per cent, according to one estimate. In China, they are confined to six to eight per cent. Power thefts enjoy political protection.

The implementation of the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme aimed at cutting down technical, commercial and financial losses of state supply networks has only been partially successful. Besides, there is a reluctance to enhance power tariffs to meet rising costs and some states are using free supply of power as an electoral tool.

The solution to our power crisis lies in a well-coordinated strategy designed by a responsible Central government and responsive states. Now that the former is too weak to dictate and the latter is too complacent to listen, recourse to the ISC could probably provide a last ray of hope.

Y G Chouksey Pune

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