The State government today stated that hospitals have been exempted from load shedding, provided they are connected by high tension feeder lines.
The government said this during hearing of a PIL by Flaming B. Marak by the division bench of Meghalaya High Court regarding the issue of shortage in the supply of power all over the State and what the petitioner perceives to be the arbitrary load-shedding schedule.
However, during the hearing, it was found that Shillong Civil Hospital does not have a high tension feeder line that caters to the entire hospital.
On this, the High Court said apart from better equipment, more experts and greater facilities, hospitals across the State must ensure uninterrupted supply of power as it is essential in running machines for patients on life support and, possibly, supply of oxygen.
“The State should make every endeavour to ensure that even if the need arises in future to restrict the continuous supply of power on account of any shortfall, the hospitals and like institutions are exempted or, there is backup available by way of diesel generator sets for the hospitals and like institutions to run seamlessly and unaffected by power cuts,” the court said.
Meanwhile, during the hearing, the State government told the High Court that in view of the adequate rains over the last week or so the Umiam waters have risen by as much as 10 feet, thus, allowing greater power generation.
The State government also stated that it has also been purchasing power from the National Thermal Power Corporation from or about the beginning of June and it is also looking at purchasing power from the open grid to augment the available power supply.
“It is hoped that with the regular rains in recent times, the situation will improve. However, there must be a plan B in place, which should be both rational and equitable even if power cuts are resorted to,” the High Court said.
The court also asked the State government to file a status report at the next hearing on July 5. It also directed that a copy of such a report should be made available to the petitioner at least a day in advance.
