Working towards 24×7 power supply : Noting the improvement
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: August 04 2016 -
24×7 power supply by 2019.
This in a place where unscheduled power cut and load shedding had become the norm and certainly this news must have gladdened the hearts of thousands of people.
Things have certainly improved after the State Electricity Department was corporatised in the early part of 2014 and two wings were created, the Manipur State Power Company Limited (MSPCL) and the Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSPDCL).
Along with corporatising the Electricity Department, the pre-paid system was introduced in phases all over the State and today this must have covered Imphal city.
Load shedding every alternate day may have become a thing of the past, at least in Imphal, but still a lot needs to be done to come anywhere near the promise of 24×7 power supply, meaning power supply for 24 hours throughout the day.
One just have to remember the days when there was load shedding every alternate day from 6 pm to 10 pm with the lights going off again once the clock struck 10 pm.
Power supply during day time could not be relied on for no one knew when power supply will snap.
In effect this meant that while certain localities received power supply from 6 pm till 10 pm, an equal number of localities went without power during the peak hours.
This however did not mean power supply throughout the night for the power supply will go off once the clock struck 10 pm at the places where there was no load shedding throwing the place into pitched darkness.
The other localities which had load shedding will see the light coming at 10 pm. In effect this meant that every locality in Imphal suffered power cut in the night every day.
Things have however improved considerably in the last two years, at least in Imphal.
With the pre-paid system being introduced, unpaid power tariff does not seem to be a major issue now and it is heartening to see the MSPDCL cracking down hard on power theft.
Another welcome development that can be seen is the prior announcement by the department concerned on when there will be no power supply at certain localities due to some technical work that has to be taken up.
Now with the MSPCL having prepared a vision document to ensure 24×7 power supply by 2019, things seem to be improving.
This is not bad at all, given the fact that the people had to suffer power cut every day, if not during the peak hour of 6 pm to 10 pm.
No wonder there was something called the VIP connection, meant for the VIPs such as the Governor, the Chief Minister, the Council of Ministers and others.
Nothing could be more frustrating than to see residences of those coming under the VIP tag brightly lit while the rest of the citizens had to go without power.
No wonder generators were indispensable in households which could afford them.
Now that the Government and the department concerned seem to be sincerely working towards providing unin- terrupted power supply to the people, it is only right that the people reciprocate and acknowledge the efforts taken up.
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