State residents, especially those residing in the command areas of DVC, can heave a sigh of relief from impending power outage as Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has clarified that it is not going to execute 50 per cent power cut during festivals. As per the decision taken DVC had decided to start power cuts from Friday night.
The power outage during the festival period could have created problems since Chhath is set to be celebrated on Wednesday and Thursday. Notably, the Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL) had sent a demand note to the power consortium for an additional supply of 100 MW to meet power requirements during the festival period. The executive engineer of JBVNL Shailendra Kumar Tiwari has informed that there will be no power outages during festival period.
Under the DVC command area Koderma, Hazaribagh, Ramgadh, Giridih, Bokaro and Dhanbad district of Jharkhand are covered. However, these districts witnessed power cut on Friday night. DVC had threatened power cut to persuade the Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited to payment outstanding dues of Rs 2200 crore.
The tussle between DVC and Jharkhand government over the billing and payment is not a new thing. In January this year the Centre had deducted Rs 714 crore from the RBI account of Jharkhand for the part payment of dues to DVC. The Jharkhand government had objected to the action of the Centre. The DVC had even made a power cut of 300 MW in its command area. That time the DVC had started a power cut for the realization of outstanding dues worth Rs 4124 crore.
However, the Hemant Soren government on priority basis always cleared the bill to DVC but the government objected to deduction without the permission of the government.