20 Hrs of power supply in a day : Rhetoric, nothing else
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: December 03, 2012 -

With the Electricity Dept unable to supply power, customer make do with a torch light while marketing at Khwairamband bazar in January 2012 :: Pix - TSE

20 hours of power supply in a day of 24 hours.

This was the target set by Mr Okram Ibobi Singh on assuming charge as the Chief Minister for the third consecutive term after the Congress swept the polls in the election to the 10th Assembly in the early part of this year.

That promise held out some hope, for the Chief Minister himself took charge of the Power portfolio. Fast forward by 11 months or so and nothing has changed.

On the contrary after the initial, marginal improvement from 3/4 hours of power supply in a day to 7/8 or say even 9 hours, the power supply scenario has come full circle.

Pre-paid metre system was one measure taken up to counter the culture of non-payment of power tariff and while this was initiated amid much hype and hoopla, no one seems to know what has happened after the initial euphoria.

No wonder than that those with the clout and money power are lining up to be counted as VIPs to get uninterrupted power supply !

A sure shot formula of reducing the term or understanding of VIP to the hoi polloi and nothing explains how power starved are the people than this.

In 29 days the world will be bidding adieu to 2012, but has Manipur moved anywhere nearer to the stated/announced objective of 20 hours of power supply given in the early part of this year ?

It is not that the State does not receive its share from the North East Regional Load Despatch Centre, Shillong.

It does, but what has not been spelt out clearly but hinted only occasionally is the fact that Manipur just does not have the required facility to receive its full share.

According to our understanding, the share thus forfeited is sold off to other States and the amount accrued is deposited with the State Government.

What happens to this amount ? This in a way should rubbish the claim that non-payment of power tariff by the consumers is one primary reason for the dismal power supply scenario in the State.

Privatisation of the State Electricity Department is an option that is being explored.

However without addressing the basics, such as the KV Line that brings in the power from the North East Regional Load Despatch Centre, Shillong would amount to yet another case of putting the horse before the cart. The need to address the fundamentals can not be clearer than this.

Or is it that this basic question will be addressed to only after the privatisation process is completed, by the private players ? Either way it does not augur well at all for the people and the place.

Power supply is not only about lighting up homes but has come to mean so many things to different people.

The functioning of the road side tyre retreading centres, the photo copy shops, the newspaper establishments, entertainment houses such as cinema halls etc all centre around power supply.

This translates into earning one's livelihood and the utter failure to address the pathetic power supply scenario is a damning statement on where the priority of the Government lies.

It is not only a question of a locality being plunged into darkness but about the failure of the Government to deliver something as basic as power supply.

The people of Manipur do not expect miracles, that is for sure, but what is expected is some sincere efforts to address an issue which has for long been adversely impacting on the daily lives of the people.

It is an infamy. Imphal must be one of the few State capitals, if not the only one, where some enterprising individuals have gone ahead to supply power to the women vegetable vendors for an amount after dusk.

It must be one of the few places in the country where road side shops offer to recharge the mobile hand sets at a price.

To think that this is happening in the 21st century is a shame!