SHILLONG, June 21: The state government has advocated judicious utilisation of power although the rains have provided some relief from load-shedding.
“The generous rains have improved the power scenario but we need to be prudent,” Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said.
Prudence would go a long way in sustaining the system within a year and ensuring the state does not undergo power cuts for 8-10 hours, he said.
The Chief Minister said there has to be some kind of a plan for maintaining the water levels of the hydropower generating units.
“On the brighter side, the units in all three regions of our state are producing power for the first time. We have Ganol in the Garo Hills, Leshka in the Jaintia Hills and Umiam,” he said, admitting a lot more needs to be done for steadying the power generation.
“People are facing a lot of challenges but there is a bit of improvement and we are trying to minimise their inconvenience,” he said.
But it would not be possible for the government to end power cuts soon, he added.
The Chief Minister also took stock of the monsoon-triggered damage, including the loss of lives.
After a meeting with officials of the line departments and the deputy commissioners, he said the focus was on addressing the challenges faced by the authorities and the public.
Disaster preparedness was also discussed in view of the forecast of heavy rainfall in the coming days, he said.
Incessant rainfall has led to landslides, floods, and swelling of rivers, killing a total of nine people.
