Learn To Live Without Power

Recently I was on a nostalgic tour to Western Uttar Pradesh. I was very curious to visit my native place Sambhal, where I was born some 63 years back. When I started my journey from Mumbai, I was very much excited . But when I come back I have mixed feeling. While  I was overwhelmed to see the  place where I was born precisely that Gali that Mohalla and that house, on the other hand I was anguished to see the power situation prevailing there. After staying so long in Metro cities more specifically 19 years in Mumbai, it was very difficult for me to stay at places where in 24 hours people hardly get electricity for  an hour or two. And mind it, it is not the situation prevailing in Sambhal alone, it is in most of the parts of country with exception of big cities. In May hot summer day when the Mercury raises to 47 degree Celsius, think your life without power is definitely unimaginable to most of the Mumbaikars.

When you get electricity for one or two hours a day than what are the other options to run your electric gadgets, basic fan and Thomas Edison's invention the electric bulb. Inverter is a cost effective devise to run the basic devises but every day you need minimum 7 to 8 hours power supply to get it charged. So in an hour or two it is charged to an extend that it may support basic bulbs and a fan for 4 to 5 hours. The comes power generators but every body can not afford it, operating it for two hours it may drink a litre of diesel costing roughly Rs 52. So if you need to run the show for round the clock you have to part away Rs 520 a day or say around Rs 15,000 a month. In 21st century people are compelled to live on the candle light or kerosene lamp.Think about average people in Small Kasbahs with disposable income of Rs10,000 a month, this option is simply beyond imagination. So despite of tall claims of electrification the length and breadth of nation, getting uninterrupted power is a dream for nation except those living in metropolitan cities. While we feel very proud having sent space vehicles to Moon  and Mars , the common man is devoid of basic need in 21st century.

Now who is to be blamed. You point out finger on one authority he will put finger to other. So the blame game is going on from last few decades. The State Electricity Boards are running in huge losses due to line loss and non recovery of dues. Power generation has a big bridge between supply and demand.

Lenders avoid investing in Power business, as Electricity Boards are running in big financial mess. All political parties at the time of election, promises free electricity to farmers, so taking a cue most of the villagers using electricity without any valid connection . Officials from electricity department do not dare to penalise these villagers and cut their supply. Industrial units have their own innovative way of underpaying, they bribe the officials and get manipulated bills. Even common innocent looking average middle class home ever pay for its exact consumption manipulate their consumption fiddling with meter and what not. With the result, heavy line losses, additional load of power on sub stations and resultant frequent tripping and frequent failure of transformers.

In case, the government is really sincere to improve the power situation, it should show that it mean business. Immediately initiate  additional generation to bridge the gap between deman and supply. It should also ensure that any body how powerful he is he has to pay for his exact consumption. Okay fine in case you want to give relief to farmers charge them on concessional rates but do not permit illegal consumption. Otherwise the new generation will study work of Benjamin Franklin, Michael Farady, Thomas Edision, streaks of lighting, electron, James Watt, Georg Ohm, Alessandro Volta, Andre Maire Ampere in candlelight !

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