TURA, April 24: Dismayed at the long hours of load-shedding in Meghalaya by the MeECL, the Association for Democracy and Empowerment (ADE) on Monday moved Power Minister AT Mondal, urging his department to reduce the hours of load-shedding, even as it offered support if required, to bring normalcy to the situation.
The seven hours of load-shedding daily was increased to 10 hours from April 19 in Garo Hills, which currently is already reeling under heatwave.
“The earlier 7 hours’ power cut had already crippled the normal life of the people of the entire Garo hills region. We have few cottage industries in this region and they’re already on the brink of collapse any moment. This power shortage of this nature could be the final nail in the coffin. Forget about the commercial sector, the medical sector has been greatly affected. Patients along with the doctors and other medical workers are working under great duress due to this power crisis,” ADE president, Dalseng Bira Ch Momin, said in a letter to the power minister.
Momin said that the association understands the financial constraints of the present state government, but reminded that it was the 2nd consecutive term of the MDA Government in power.
“People have given them greater mandate than the previous term in the Garo Hills region hoping for better outcomes for their future. This incumbent government has greater responsibilities towards their people than earlier times. But, on the contrary, people had to witness 10 hours of power cut in a day that has never occurred in the history of Meghalaya,” he said, while urging the power minister to look into the matter and reduce the hours of power cut.
Meanwhile, the A’chik Organization for Social Welfare (AOSW) has also expressed unhappiness over the long load-shedding hours in Meghalaya.
Pointing out that people are suffering owing to the heatwave, the AOSW urged the concerned authority as well as the state government to reduce the load-shedding hours immediately.
