Thursday, March 08, 2012

Pet peeve of the year!




Power Cuts. I can hear the chorus, Awa.. Come on. We are all suffering.

Suffering, alright.  What do we do when we encounter suffering? We try to manage. For some time.When the suffering becomes routine? We try to device methods to tackle it. 

If it does not go, we howl and protest and scream. Oppose.

I would like to add Power cuts to this list of suffering.

It is suffering for the housewife, for the student, for the office goes, for the small scale entrepreneurs, for Industry. For the elderly and ailing , it is nightmare. For farmers it is life and death.

I have added almost everyone, but not added leaders, Big bosses,  govt. department cabins, Big industrialists, and  entertainment big wigs. I wonder, when the power is cut in homes/villages, the above listed people too , are put to inconvenience? I doubt!

Mind you, the people who are deciding when to cut power , the people who are deciding when to increase the production, alternate methods of energy  etc, do not know how it feels to have power cuts.

If you say, it is not true, everyone suffers, I would ask, then why no solace since decades?

Tariff has been increased, I am sure people are ready to pay more even, how come alternate methods to tackle this problem, has not been pronounced so far.

We have had budgets, we have had plans, but power problems are increasing. Is there a blue print for power reforms? If yes, why it was not even discussed?

Corruption is discussed for days in Parliament, but this "Bijlee" is not discussed even one.

I am probably right to say, the persons who matter, do not know about effects of power cuts.

It has been decades, since dawn of power cuts.

There has been any number of plans for development, over 60 years, any number of "Vision statements".
There are young leaders, spending time in huts and share meals, does anyone share power cuts? I have not heard.
While travelling in posh localities, I see billboards, with stars, media and other commercials are shining big, while my suburban household locality is in darkness.

                                         (courtesy Google)

How we live in mayajaaal land. 

We watch apologetic ministers, explaining the fiscal deficit, power shortage, nuclear energy blah blah

Do big bosses have special connections, I wonder, when others in the locality are all sweating it out, and the standing crops wilting? Does the common man have any idea of the power consumption bills paid by the government? Is it available in the public domain?

People! its time to wake up.  Question your ward leaders, question your MLAs, Question your media. Ask what they are doing for changing this situation, the wastage, the uncaring attitude.

Question your leaders, when they say you have to bear it. Question your heroes, when they do not stop wastage of power. Question the local supply office, their bosses, flood them with letters.


As long as we tolerate, and do not ask, things will be "like this only, we are Indians."


                                                        (Courtesy Google )

16 comments:

  1. What I feel amusing is that instead of tackling such problems head-on and removing it from the roots, we have taken another way out. Lets kill our moral/ethics and drag ourselves to earn as much as possible in any way so that we can pay for such basic amenities. It is okay if we compromise our health, relations on the way !

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  2. Yes, Anyway a big percentage is already living life killing moral/ethics, and showing off.

    Next would be water. That too will have to be looked after by individuals. Failure of the Govt. where it will lead?

    You know, I was charged up so much, I did note even give a caption to the blog!

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  3. I quite agree with you and no more to say much! More than consumption, its wastage is much... we first need to stop or reduce before seeking solution. There is a lot nature gives us but not many utilize it much and this enlarge is mainly due to increased consumption which the government lack to balance. Those chilled with a/c don’t want to drop back, even the wind blows cool; they refuse to open door to expose saying the heat will arrive inside. Which I hear often from the nearby’s.

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  4. debajyoti1:06 AM

    i know how it feels. i stay in a very small, remote town where we have almost 6 - 10 hours of power cuts every day. we have no other option but to go for power backup. so virtually every house here has inverters. we have asked concerned ppl for explanations in the past and we r still doing it; but i seriously doubt if it's going to make any difference. however, as u said we need to question them every time we see irregularities. nice post.

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  5. Thanks Jeevan. Chennai needs AC in the daytime. In case you are near the beach, night times are tolerable.
    We as citizens have cut down trees to make high rises, and ask for more power.! Without rain, how?

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  6. Thanks Debajyoti! I feel better after writing the blog.

    You know, when we built the house 30 years ago, we were told to built septic tanks, since they could not connect to main drainage.

    Similarly,it may be mandatory soon, to have inverters fixed, along with power lines. The rate at which each state is organising their water resources/electricity planning, it will come to that.

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  7. Another strange pattern in Hyderabad is, the power will go off without any announcement. In the day time/night time. One has to dial a number to lodge a complaint.

    More often than not, if you complain, it is restored fairly soon.:-)

    the complaint cell does a good job.

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  8. Really an intelligent take indeed, raised some valid point of argument, rather facts & observation...
    I like to refer the fundamental cause, as the ultimate product is yet monopoly & ruled by estate exchequer, lacking transparency & accountability..
    As said, building consciousness is inevitable, may certainly improve if we can move collectively..
    Personally associated with power sector and aware about the modus oprandii..

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  9. going through your post i feel fortunate that being in dehi power cuts are rare,ever since it got privatised.

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  10. Thanks a lot AC sir,

    I am not against the Department as such. They are all Public servants doing their work. I only want to know what are we all doing to mitigate this problems since decades?
    I would like to know your point of view on various problems you encounter in offical capacity., if you can share them with us, without revealing much :-)

    Thanks.

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  11. Pattu you've raised a burning issue about the scourge of power cuts which has become a permanent feature of your lives in summer.
    Does it mean that there is shortage of power in the state? If it is so, then they should have done something to ease the situation.Your guess that the cuts are selective may be right. The powerful people may be oblivious of the problem.The time has come for the people power to exert pressure and confront the concerned authorities.Good luck to you for spearheading the awakening in the public.
    By the way power situation is stable in Patiala. We are paying through the nose but have relief from power cuts.

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  12. With India's immense population and burgeoning power demands, it is not surprising that the ageing infrastructure is finding it hard to cope. The vital economy and increasing industrialisation should provide an impetus to politicians to prioritise the provision of a reliable and resilient power supply.

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  13. Yes Nick, the politicians are the first hurdle. Unless, the people ask, it shall not be given. Our people are , at least the majority, are not in a position to ask. They do not even know who to ask, and what to ask.

    Those who have the means to ask, are not worried at all. So long as their needs are satisfied, they are not disturbed.

    Unless their awareness is awakened, we will grope in darkness.

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  14. Hi Alka, Welcome to my blog!

    I had heard that Delhi is one of the power surplus state now! And to think , just two or three years back, there were massive problems in power supply!

    I wonder how they managed it!

    Meanwhile, in South , except Kerala, all are having problems. Industry is having a bad time too.

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  15. The same story everywhere in India, while the Ministers watch porn video in AC Karnataka Assembly, without doing their rightful job we the people have to suffer unannounced power cuts for hours.
    This is our India.

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  16. True!
    We ahve voted them it seems. I have not voted for them!

    Who has voted them and for what?

    Right now the drama of railway budget is going on..

    This is India!

    I hope the peak of inefficiency is reaching it s height. It will have to come down, soon!

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