Mumbai has so far been spared from long hours of power cut. The question is, for how long?
As protests mount in Mumbai suburbs and other parts of Maharashtra, there is a growing fear that the island city may no longer be insulated from the gruel-ling load sheddding - as long as 16 hours in some areas.
There have been even violent outbursts in several parts of the state. On Mon-day as many as 27 agitations were reported.
The government’s worst fears are coming true with the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission chief admitting that the country’s financial capital may also have to be bear the brunt. Chances are it could be sooner than later.
An angry crowd on Monday ransacked a power station in Akola in the Vidar-bha region protesting against the increasing load shedding. This is the third day in a row the state has witnessed angry protests over the situation.
It began with Umred near Nagpur where locals attacked the utility’s office and attacked the staff. One person was killed and the police had to step in to con-trol the violence. On Sunday traders and businessmen in Nashik blocked the Mumbai-Agra national highway to make a point. They complained that the load shedding was affecting the industrial output.
There was a simmering unrest in far away Akola as the state electricity board increased load shedding by two-three hours. The mob went on a rampage last night at fuse call centre, damaging furniture and fled the scene when police arrived. No arrests have been made, police said.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd had earlier re-quested the district administration to provide police protection to its offices and fuse call centres in the city, sources said. However, the police expressed their inability to provide security, citing manpower shortage.
Amid all this, Pramod Deo, chairman of the Maharashtra Electricity Regula-tory Commission (MERC), has warned that Mumbai can not remain isolated for long with the power crisis worsening by the day.
Addressing a seminar on power situation, Mr Deo said that the peak time shortage of power is around 40% is close to 30% shortage during the normal hours. He hinted that it will be difficult for the state to avoid load-shedding in the financial capital.
The MERC chief also questioned the state’s current ‘MoU signing spree’ to attract investment in the state despite the current power crisis. “Where will the state to get additional power supply to feed all these industries,” he wondered.
As protests mount in Mumbai suburbs and other parts of Maharashtra, there is a growing fear that the island city may no longer be insulated from the gruel-ling load sheddding - as long as 16 hours in some areas.
There have been even violent outbursts in several parts of the state. On Mon-day as many as 27 agitations were reported.
The government’s worst fears are coming true with the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission chief admitting that the country’s financial capital may also have to be bear the brunt. Chances are it could be sooner than later.
An angry crowd on Monday ransacked a power station in Akola in the Vidar-bha region protesting against the increasing load shedding. This is the third day in a row the state has witnessed angry protests over the situation.
It began with Umred near Nagpur where locals attacked the utility’s office and attacked the staff. One person was killed and the police had to step in to con-trol the violence. On Sunday traders and businessmen in Nashik blocked the Mumbai-Agra national highway to make a point. They complained that the load shedding was affecting the industrial output.
There was a simmering unrest in far away Akola as the state electricity board increased load shedding by two-three hours. The mob went on a rampage last night at fuse call centre, damaging furniture and fled the scene when police arrived. No arrests have been made, police said.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd had earlier re-quested the district administration to provide police protection to its offices and fuse call centres in the city, sources said. However, the police expressed their inability to provide security, citing manpower shortage.
Amid all this, Pramod Deo, chairman of the Maharashtra Electricity Regula-tory Commission (MERC), has warned that Mumbai can not remain isolated for long with the power crisis worsening by the day.
Addressing a seminar on power situation, Mr Deo said that the peak time shortage of power is around 40% is close to 30% shortage during the normal hours. He hinted that it will be difficult for the state to avoid load-shedding in the financial capital.
The MERC chief also questioned the state’s current ‘MoU signing spree’ to attract investment in the state despite the current power crisis. “Where will the state to get additional power supply to feed all these industries,” he wondered.
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