TN CM leads State's '9 pm' fight against virus,power demand

Amid sporadic fireworks, people lit lamps and candles on Sunday night after switching off lights in the symbolic fight against COVID-19 on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to demonstrate collective resolve against the contagion as power demand dipped by 2,200 MW in the state. After turning off lights, people came out on balconies and terraces of their residences and shone lights from their mobile phones, while Governor Banwarilal Purohit lit a candle at the Raj Bhavan here for nine minutes.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami, while maintaining distance with other members of his family and officials, lit an earthen lamp at his residence. His family members too held candles at a distance. Several young men burst crackers and lit up skies using a variety of fireworks here. Many people lit up the traditional 'Kamakshi lamps' and

'Kuthuvilakku', besides the earthen lamps and placed them in the middle of 'kolam' (rangoli) drawings in their houses. The terraces of several buildings were lined up with endless rows of earthen lamps which offered a visual treat. Electricity Minister P Thangamani told reporters that electricity demand across the State dropped by about 2,200 MW during the nine-minute window which was double their expectation of roughly 1,200 MW.

After 9.10 pm, demand picked up and went back to the normal demand of about 10,000 MW, he said. In Chennai city alone, the slump in demand was to the tune of about 300 MW and there was neither any disruption in power supply or glitches in the electricity infrastructure as precautionary measures were in place Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation sources added. Electricity Minister and top officials were present at the headquarters here to monitor the situation, they said. Deputy Chief Minister K Pannerselvam and Tamil Nadu Ministers, including S P Velumani and K Pandiarajan lit lamps in their respective residences here.

Superstar Rajinikanth was among the celebrities who joined the symbolic event against the contagion and he held a candle in his Poes Garden residence. The actor posted a picture of him, alongwith his wife Latha, holding bright candles at his residence on his twitter handle.