Delhi power crisis: Kejriwal seeks PM's intervention

AAP MLAs, yesterday staged a protest, demanding urgent steps by the Centre to improve electricity supply in the city

After blaming the Bhartiya Janata Party government for mishandling the power crisis situation looming in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his appointment over the issue.

Kejriwal continued to fire salvos at the Modi government over the power crisis that the national capital is suffering under the intense summer heat after a devastating storm on May 27 severely damaged major power transmission lines across the city.

"It appears that the government is shying away from fixing the accountability of distribution companies and at times one gets an impression that the government is trying to protect these distribution companies," said Kejriwal in the letter.

Kejriwal said that the Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal had assured that there was no shortage of power supply and technical difficulties were the reason behind the power cuts making it clear that "the private power distribution companies are not doing their job properly."

Kejriwal demanded stern action against the distribution companies and said, "According to the licensing agreement signed by these companies with the government, it is their responsibility to ensure the maintenance of their equipments and network so that the people get uninterrupted power supply."

Kejriwal claimed that there was no such power cut situation during his tenure as the Delhi chief minister for 49 days.