Sudden load-shedding without prior notice imposed by the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd (MeECL) has irked people in the State.
Load-shedding was re-imposed in the entire state from midnight today for six hours per day in every district.
“I am surprised to see that there is load shedding again imposed in the state,” Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh said. He said that on February 14 the government decided to impose load-shedding all over the state and he had then spoken to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and it was sorted out within a few days.
“(I was) assured that there would be no more load-shedding. But I was surprised to see that yesterday load-shedding started again,” he said. He added that this is a crucial time for students who are preparing for their examinations and thus power cuts should be stopped unless there is a serious problem.
“But I don’t see any problem,” Lyngdoh added.
Stating that, according to records in East Khasi Hills, the generation of revenue for MeECL is Rs 56 crore per month and over Rs 100 of crore in the entire state, Planning Board Chairman, Lambor Malngiang said, “I wonder if this kind of amount is not enough to pay the dues the state government owes to NEEPCO. There are failings in the functioning of the Power Department that need to be immediately corrected.”
Meanwhile, a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma with Power Minister, James K Sangma was held today to discuss the sudden load shedding.
The Power Minister informed that this has been necessitated because of certain issues regarding the Letter of Credit for the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) due to which MeECL had to go for load shedding.
“The meeting discussed the issue and the way forward at length. I will be meeting the Minister, Government of India to discuss the difficulties and challenges that the State is facing presently in the Power sector and to make sure that this regulation by the NTPC can be withdrawn at the earliest”, he said.
The meeting was also attended by Ministers of the Cabinet, Chief Secretary, M S Rao and officials from the Power Department.
