Shillong, May 5: The Meghalaya High Court has directed the State and the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) to file independent affidavits with regards to the rampant power cuts in the state.
Hearing a PIL filed by one Flaming B Marak here on Friday on rampant power cuts and load shedding, the division bench, comprising of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh, said the affidavits must indicate short-term and long-term measures, and projections of demand and plan of action during accidental shutdown of any power plant and alternative sources that may be available.
“The affidavits should also indicate equitable distribution of load-shedding hours and the alternative arrangements made for essential services like hospitals, airports and key installations,” it said.
Ironically, even when the order was being dictated, the power supply to the Court was interrupted.
Stating that electricity is no longer a luxury, the bench said that it is the State’s responsibility to ensure that there is adequate availability of electricity as per demand and plans should be in place to meet the increased future demands.
It also asked the State to explore buying power from the open grid and power companies, and the additional cost can be realised from the citizens.
The bench had also pointed out that the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited has made a huge claim running into several hundreds of crores against the State for the State having entered into an agreement to draw a minimum guaranteed amount of electricity per year, but ultimately failing to obtain the same.
During the hearing, it was submitted on behalf of the Chairman of the MeECL that the monthly demand of power is to the extent of 200 million units and the availability is only 88 million units. According to the MeECL, such a shortfall is because of a power plant in Tripura being shut down for technical reasons and the State finding no alternative source for power.
The next hearing on the matter will be held on May 30.
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