The denizens of Hazaribagh are facing power crisis these days. Despite assurances by the officials of the electricity department and the local administration, the crisis is deepening day by day and the feeling of moving rapidly towards the lantern age is tightening its grip on the mindset of every citizen.
The condition of power supply was better than in any other town of the State except capital Ranchi for the past one year but it started deteriorating with the advancement of process of privatisation of electricity board and the tussle between the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and Board on the issue of payment
Earlier there were only two power cuts in a day, first in the morning and then in the evening, when water was supplied from the water tanks to the houses. With time, the duration and the number of power cuts started increasing. Nowadays it has arrived at a stage where neither the hours of power supply can be counted nor the number of power cuts and their duration.
The State office of electricity board always gives data of hours of power supply to the districts of Jharkhand but the ground reality in case of Hazaribagh is just contrary. It is claimed that Hazaribagh is getting an average 18-20 hours power supply but since last year, the average is hardly 6-8 hours.
Electricity department blames DVC for the power cuts and deteriorating situation while DVC blames the electricity department. When The Pioneer tried to know the reality, it was found that since the last 10 days, DVC has made power cuts from 4 hours to 9 hours in a day while the electricity department accepts making power cuts but not more than 2 hours in a day.
DVC officials said that their organisation is passing through an economic crisis period.
“The Coal India has started cash and carry scheme but we are not in a position to purchase coal by giving cash. So due to coal crisis about half units are closed and production has come down to about half. So we are making power cuts,” he said. But the electricity board officials said that high level talks with DVC is going on and soon the condition of power supply in Hazaribagh will be back on track.