Imphal, January 30 2010: Inspite of a Planning Commission directive to reduce loss of power during transmission and distribution by 5 percent annually the State's Electricity Department is yet to draw up a concrete plan on the matter and continues to suffer 78 percent loss every year.

On the otherhand, police resorted to baton charge and fired tear gas canisters to disperse protestors at Yurembam area today.

An informed source disclosed to the Sangai Express that failure of the Electricity department to devise a viable mechanism for reducing loss of power during transmission and distribution is crippling the department from efficient performance.

The impact is even more remorseful as the State spends Rs 10 crores every month to procure electricity from agencies concerned contrary to annual income of about Rs 80 crores collected by the Department as tax from the consumers.

The Department's revenue source also include income from sale of excess power to North East Power Trading Corporation as the existing 132 KV power-line from Silchar to Imphal could supply load of only 90 megawatt.

Inspite of the State entitled to receive way above the 90 megawatt load from power plants of other States the fact that only 90 megawatt could be supplied through the 132 KV line had been a contributory factor for the consumers unable to enjoy adequate power supply, said the source.

Expressing that to improve the power situation there is urgent need for upgrading the Silchar-Imphal power line from the existing 132 KV to 400 KV, the source further opined that in case problem of irregular power supply is addressed revenue collection would certainly be favourable and upto the desired mark.

Regarding failure to implement first phase of the innovative Accelerated Power Reforms Development Programme that would have covered Greater Imphal, Bishnupur, Thoubal and Churachandpur district areas, the source conceded that delay in completing relevant procedures had resulted in derailment of the programme.

However, to ensure that there is no such Departmental lapse when the second phase of the Programme is taken up efforts are on to rope in service of a competent consultant, the source confided while exuding confidence that proper implementation of the Programme would be beneficial for all concerned as the system will be highly efficient.

It is also informed that the Centre is likely to extend requisite financial assistance in the implementation of the Programme's second phase in the form of loan which would subsequently be converted as grant in case the innovative project is executed in an efficient manner.

Contrary to the Govt's initiative to improve the power situation in the State by expanding the power sub-station in Yurembam people of Yurembam area today took out a protest rally against the land acquisition move of the State Govt.The power sub-station needed to be upgraded so as to conform with the supply of power through the 400 KV powerline from Silchar to Imphal via Jiribam for which the Government is planning to acquire 25 additional acre of land and subsequently hand it over to Power Grid Corporation.

The protest demonstration took an ugly as scuffle broke out between the protestors and police personnel with the latter compelled to baton charge and bursting of tear gas to maintain order.

Seven of the protestors were also briefly detained by the police before being set free in the evening.

In the backdrop of the public protest, the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh hurriedly convened a meeting which was attended by the Konthoujam A/C MLA Dr Sapam Budhichandra, who is also the Speaker of the State Assembly, Chief Secretary, Chief Engineer (Power) and officials of Power Grid Corporation.

among others the meeting entrusted Dr Budhichandra to convince Yurembam public to endorse the plan for land acquisition which is necessary for expansion of the power sub-station, a source added.

Another decision of the meeting concerns the Chief Minister personally having a meeting with the aggrieved land owners on February 2 .

In other development, the Chief Minister is informed to have reviewed progress of the ongoing rail-line construction that would put Imphal on the rail network from Jiribam via Tupul.

The review meeting which was participated by the chief Secretary, Commissioner (Home), DGP and officials of North Frontier Railways also stressed on sorting out problem of land acquisition procedures in Yurembam area.

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