State reeling under burden of Rs 707 cr power dues
SHILLONG/ TURA: Load-shedding is back to haunt citizens from Tuesday after a gap of one year.
Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL) will resort to load-shedding owing to the low water levels at the hydro-electric reservoirs, a notice issued by CEO of the Shillong distribution circle of MePDCL S.B. Umdor said.
The notice says load-shedding will take place for an hour from 6-7 pm in areas under Dympep and Laitlynkot sub-station and in Happy valley, Mawsbuit, Mawphlang-Mawngap and the adjoining areas.
In parts of Nongmynsong, Mawpat, Nongrah, Tynsong, Diengpassoh and other areas, load-shedding will be from 11pm to 12am. The other areas in Shillong will be in dark for half an hour.
When contacted, MePDCL officials said the water level is low in all the reservoirs, including the Umiam reservoir and Myntdu-Leshka Hydroelectric project. Shillong did not witness load-shedding last year.
The officials said Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) cannot use the entire water at Umiam as it has to be stored, besides the dam integration has to be taken care of. “In the past three to four days, we are getting good rain and if it continues for two to three weeks, the problem can be solved to a certain extent,” MeECL officials said.
In Garo Hills too, the situation is similar owing to weak monsoon. The five districts in the region will be in the dark due to load-shedding probably for the first time.
The residents’ woes started on Monday evening when MePDCL begun an hour of load-shedding throughout the western part of the State. Power was shut down in parts of Tura for an hour from 6-7 pm. For the rest of the town, it was for one hour between 9 pm and 11 pm.
With monsoon set to retreat from the North East, there is every possibility that towns like Tura and Williamnagar will experience water shortage before the end of winter.
This year, residents of Tura had the bitter experience of five months of drinking water shortage due to drop in the water table on account of previous year’s rain shortfall.
A report on Meghalaya’s deficit monsoon published in this newspaper in August had warned of a ‘worst case scenario’ on the environment front.
Extensive felling of trees, large-scale transformation of forest areas into cultivation land and lack of initiative to protect the catchment areas have played a major role in climate change.
This year, July and August were the hottest months in Garo Hills in many decades and the absence of rainfall further raised the temperature.
Incidentally, a section of the residents in Shillong felt on Monday that long hours of darkness were imminent as the State government owes more than Rs 707 crore to NEEPCO and other central power generating agencies.
The official data of the State government shows the total dues to be paid to the agencies as on August 31 is Rs 707.76 crore. Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited had approached Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission last year requesting inclusion in the tariff for the loan it intends to take from Power Finance Corporation for settlement of North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) dues. However, the regulatory body declined the proposal.
Also this year, MeECL wrote to the State government to stand guarantee for a loan from Power Finance Corporation for settling dues of NEEPCO. MePDCL had sent a proposal to the State government in February to avail itself of the benefit under Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana scheme for clearing the dues.
NEEPCO Chairman AG Kharkongor said power supply to Meghalaya has been regulated since April and so far the government has not cleared the dues.
When contacted, MeECL sources said efforts were being made to garner resources to clear the dues. The officials also said the problem of clearing dues would be sorted in one or two months and the State government was in the process of clearing the dues.