Chandigarh:
The power crisis in Punjab has turned into a political flashpoint, with the opposition stepping up its attack over prolonged power cuts even as the Bhagwant Mann government now claims that the state has emerged from the crisis and assures consumers that there will be no further cuts in the coming days.
The Punjab Congress has announced a major protest outside the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) headquarters in Patiala on Monday, led by PCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. The party slams the reported 10 to 12-hour-long power cuts, putting the government on the defensive over the impact of the shortage on households, farmers, and industry.
The opposition’s escalation comes after days of complaints over power curtailments across Punjab. With the paddy season underway and farmers already protesting over electricity and fertiliser availability, power shortage has added another pressure point for the Mann government.
The government, however, has now sought to draw a line under the crisis. AAP leader and former cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal claimed Punjab had come out of the power crisis, saying uninterrupted supply had been available since 6 am. He also assured that there would be no power cuts in the coming days.
Dhaliwal attributed the crisis to a combination of technical problems at thermal power plants and what he alleged was a reduction in Punjab’s share from the central pool. He said one unit each at Talwandi Sabo and Nabha had remained out of operation for three to four days, while a technical problem at Goindwal Sahib had also affected generation. According to him, the affected units have now been restored.
The AAP leader said Punjab’s current power demand is around 15,700 MW, while the state is generating around 5,000 MW of its own power. He alleged that Punjab had not received its full 1,051 MW share from the central pool, accusing the Centre of failing to support the state during the crisis. He also rejected reports of a coal shortage, claiming the state’s thermal plants have adequate stocks.
With the government insisting that the crisis has been resolved and the Congress preparing to hit the streets over the cuts, power has emerged as a fresh political battlefield in Punjab, with the opposition questioning the government’s handling of the shortage and the AAP leadership shifting the blame towards technical failures and the Centre.
