By Naba Bhattacharjee
It is not totally fair to conclude that MeECL did not observe the Earth Hour. In fact, the organization has been celebrating the earth hour for few months every year – albeit at unearthly hours, by switching off power supply at regular intervals both during the day and night. There is absolute punctuality in switch off time while the switch on mode stretches on beyond declared time – a la Leshka project. The unearthly hour cuts also provide much needed respite to students during exams. What is a few marks at the cost of students’ future compared to valuable energy saved on account of the depleting water level of Umiam, choked with all scum discharged into the reservoir. Above all the future of many unemployed are taken care of by such unearthly hours of power cuts which provide livelihood guarantee opportunities to the infamous ‘Bah Phantom” and his ilk.
A large section of Shillongites are gearing up to remain awake during the power cuts and form vigilante groups to ward off hordes of roving phantoms in every locality. Armed with improvised colored torch lights to illuminate the darkness and guide them to work in tandem, perfecting the art of scaling walls, intruding into households is a perfect level playing field for the out of work to resist. Each color signal highlights a probable situation – “danger”, “all clear”, “vigilance party approaching” “operation complete” et al. And for the employed particularly in service sectors, power cuts are an excellent pretext to be out of office on uninterrupted break starting an hour before switch off and extending to an hour after switch on. And the real shock came from an MeECL official who declares grandiosely, “Power cut is not only here … but all over the country”. A statement similar to Union Home Minister, Shindeji who declared recently that there is nothing to be overtly concerned about rape since it is taking place all over the country and not only in Delhi. Drunk with power, which power on earth can reverse the short circuit mindset of such power centers?
