Not more than a convenient alibi : The power supply lies
- Sangai Express Editorial :: April 17, 2013 -

Just a convenient alibi but not so clever, it seems. This is what the open statement issued by the Hill Tribal Council, Moreh has managed to unmask.

There is no novelty in urging the State Government or the Chief Minister, who also holds the power portfolio, to ensure regular power supply for numerous organisations and the public at large have been doing this for the last many years, but yet one significant difference that can be seen in the open statement issued by the Hill Tribal Council, Moreh, is the manner in which the oft repeated alibi that has been quoted by the authority concerned seems to have been rubbished.

The HTC has been extending its service in collecting power tariff from the consumers, resulting in healthy recovery of taxes. This is what the HTC has said on record via the media.

If not for anything else then at least this public statement should blow to smithereens the stand adopted by the Government that the failure of the consumers to cough up their power tariff is a major factor for the abysmal power supply in the State.

Or if what the HTC has had to say is wrong, it would be interesting to see how the Government or the Power Department respond to the statement. Power supply.

This has been one of the niggling issues confronting the people but yet there is nothing to suggest that things are set to improve in the immediate future.

Maybe the Congress was on a high after its stupendous showing at the election to the 10th Assembly, but the promise made by the Chief Minister that all efforts would be made to make power available for 20 hours in a day has not progressed from the stage of a verbal promise.

Significantly this was after the Chief Minister decided to retain the Power portfolio ‘to set things right’. Another example of high on rhetoric but low on delivery.

The result is there for everyone to see. In Imphal the daily power supply that one receives would be anywhere between 6 and 8 hours. No wonder led bulb lamps from Moreh are one of the most prized possessions for quite a large number of people.

Central to the Look East Policy of the Government of India. An international border town. Moreh still has a long way to go to fit these descriptions.

If Imphal receives power supply for 8 hours at the most then the situation at Moreh can only be imagined.

Top this off with the fact that the border town is a much warmer place than Imphal and one can imagine how it must be like without regular power supply.

Not exactly the way to go about treating or looking after a place, which is the last border town on the side of India. The State Government needs to understand the changing profile of the people visiting Moreh.

It is not only traders who go to the border town but also holiday makers. And to attract those who are on holidays, certain basic points need to be addressed to.

Power supply is one of the key factors. If the statement of the HTC is anything to go by then this fundamental point has not yet registered in the minds of the people who matter.

Such an attitude does not exactly fit into the larger context of the Look East Policy.

It certainly does not fall in line with the International Car Rallies which have passed through this border town on more than three occasions. Not exactly the way to attract people.

The HTC has come out with a significant statement and it is only right that the State Government responds in such a way that something positive is done to improve the power supply scenario at Moreh.