'Hollow promises of free power have no meaning': Navjot Singh Sidhu on Punjab power crisis

Amid the Punjab power crisis, Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sindhu on Tuesday took to his official Twitter handle and said that the hollow promises of free power have no meaning until PPAs (Power Purchase Agreement) is annulled through a "new Legislation in Punjab Vidhan Sabha". Navjot Singh Sidhu said that 300 units of free power are merely a fantasy until the faulty clauses in PPAs are keeping Punjab loaded.

Navjot Sidhu: 'PPA's bind Punjab to pay fixed charges for 100 per cent production'

Stating that the PPAs bind Punjab to pay fixed charges for 100 per cent production, whereas other States pay not more than 80 per cent, the Congres MLA said that if these fixed charges being paid to Private Power Plants under PPAs were not paid, it would directly and immediately decrease the cost of power in Punjab by Rs 1.20 per unit. 

Remarking that there is no provision for the mandatory supply of power from these Private Power Plants during the peak season under the PPAs is even more alarming, the Punjab Congress MLA said that CM Amarinder Singh-led govt has shut down two power plants in this paddy-sowing season, without repairing them, due to which the state is forced to buy additional power. 

Asserting that the current PPAs are just another example of the Badal Family's corruption, which were designed to give corrupt benefits to Badal's family, Navjot Sigh said that these PPAs are not in favour of the welfare of Punjabis. Thus, Punjab is suffering today !! “New Legislation & White-Paper on PPAs in Vidhan Sabha” is our only path to Justice, he added. 

PSPCL ensures farmers with 10.3 hours of sustained power supply

The Punjab State Power Corporation (PSPCL) ensured farmers in the state to provide a steady power supply of 10.5 hours for their successful paddy operations, amidst the demanding hike across the domestic sector. The Chief Managing Director PSPCL, A. Venu Prasad abides to see this situation as a supreme priority of the department. They ensure to fulfil the requirements of the agriculture sector in view of ongoing paddy operations. The state ensures that the farmers across the state are being provided with a minimum of eight hours of power supply for the paddy yield. PSPCL make sure to curb the Punjab power crisis.

Punjab Power Crisis 

The Punjab government on July 1, deducted the timings of government offices and ordered a major cut down on power supply provided to the high power-consuming Industries and factories as the electricity demand in the state was upsurging to over 14,000 MW per day. The power demand in the state on Wednesday rose up to 14,142 MW more than the normal supply of 12,842 MW, added by an official of PSPCL. Industries and factories have been reported to consume a high amount of power supply in Punjab lately, neglecting the judicious use of electricity. 

However, no decision regarding curbing the heavy usage of air conditioners in the government offices has been implemented, air conditioners run on a high voltage from 8 am to 6 pm every day, an official spokesperson said. The spokesperson said Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh urged all the government offices to avoid the over-usage of the power supply and use it as per necessity, as the situation is critical and the peak demand of electricity supply in the state has been shooting to a daunting count of 14,500 MW each day. Inefficient power supply created havoc among the farmers and led to unsuccessful paddy yields in the state. 

(Image: PTI)