Punjab seeks more power to meet farmers' demand

The Punjab government has sought additional electricity from the Centre to meet the shortage of about 15 million units of power needed during the ensuing paddy season.

The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) required around 130 million units during the paddy season, said a PSEB official here yesterday. "This is required to meet the deficit of power and ensure eight hours uninterrupted power supply to farmers," he added.

The Punjab government has demanded 150 Mw from the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station, the Nathpa-Jhakari Power Corporation and the Jammu and Kashmir government.

Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala has said the state will become power surplus by December 2004.

Addressing a public meeting after inaugurating a 132 Kv capacity substation at Kharkhoda on May 28, he said with the completion of this substation, power requirement of 30 villages adjoining Kharkhoda, some 400 tubewells and industrial units in the area would be met.

He said the seventh and eighth unit of the Panipat thermal plant, having 250 Mw capacity each would start soon.

Sonipat would develop as an industrial town in the near future as large number of industrial units would have to move out of Delhi as per orders of the Supreme Court and these units could be relocated in and around Sonipat providing employment avenues to the youth of this area, he said.