Caught In a Vicious Circle

11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, 3:00PM to 4 PM, 7.15 PM to 8.30 PM. Please do not mistake this to be timings for any super hit TV soaps nor for any live football matches. These are nothing but dreaded hours when people here in my place have to go thru the trauma of regular power cuts. If you think this is in some place that is part of govt’s rural electrification program and where work is still in progress let me dispel your prejudice. I live in Delhi- the rajdhani. If there were one virtue I have to hold these power distribution companies high for I would say it is their strict adherence to the timings. Well, call them reminders at those hours. Reminds us of what? Reminds us of what time it is?? That would be facetious if you think so. It reminds us that India is one country where supply starves the demand. Let me keep food production out of this, for I’m afraid if I’ll get lost in the granary of million tonnes of grains that were denied to burp out of the mouths of millions of those with hungry stomachs. So, let me confine myself to power.

Thanks for this frequent power cuts for it has broadened my horizon. If it had not been for this I’d have wallowed in comforts without making an attempt to try and understand what a deeper malaise it is. For your information govt data goes like this: India’s power transmission and distribution loses is between 35% to 40%. Of the remaining 60% only 40% get billed. Applying simple maths that’s nearly one fourth of the actual production. If so pathetic is the condition what would you expect from state electricity boards (SEBs). A treasury filled with gold, silvers , and gems?? May be yes if only SEBs were ducks laying golden eggs. But in real that’s not the case and I can’t think of any animal or bird to make a proper analogy. Pigs?? skunk??Hyenas?? or a scorpion that stings?? Just go wild. I'll leave that to you.

Yes, finally admitted shamelessly that they are bad and ugly. They said bring those corporate brands in the name of “privatization”(I have nothing against privatization as long as they serve public interest) Reliance, TATA welcome aboard!! And what have these private players left us with? Hiked power tariffs, burnt a hole in our pockets in the name of electronic meters and got our armpits and groins sweating.

Why is this power deficit in a power conscious democratic country? It seems they blame inadequate coal supply. While you probe in further, you will see coal industry pointing their fingers at railways: less wagons .Lalooji, (read railways)kya yeh sach hai?? He says there is no enough steel to manufacture wagons. And TATAji (think steel, think TISCO) blames deficit production of power. Power-coal-wagons-steel-power. We are entangled in this vicious circle. It’s that simple. And I’m not suggesting that this is life and you take it!!




(P.S: It was 10.30 in the night when i was drafting this and there was an univited power cut for just 15 minutes. An aberration. May be NDPL hae learnt to give surprises!!)