Dhanbad, Jan 25 (PTI) Irked over frequent power cuts in seven districts of Jharkhand’s North Chhotanagpur Division, education minister Jagarnath Mahto on Tuesday said coal and water supply to Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) would be discontinued if the situation does not improve.
Mahto, a JMM MLA from Dumri, also threatened to take legal action against DVC officials.
“DVC power plants, which run on water and coal of Jharkhand, have pushed seven districts of its lease-hold area into darkness, citing pending bills as reason. People of Jharkhand would not tolerate such arm-twisting tactics. Coal and water supply to DVC plants will be stopped if normal power supply isn’t restored,” said the minister.
BJP’s Dhanbad Sadar MLA Raj Sinha also took exception to the alleged arbitrary power disruptions and announced that he would hold a sit-in for 72 hours from January 27 in protest.
Sinha said the frequent power cuts have left many industrialists, traders and students in the lurch.
“In the last two months, due to unscheduled load-shedding, people in urban areas faced problems getting supply of drinking water. Despite repeated requests to the state government and DVC officials, no step has been taken. I am left with no other option but to sit on a dharna. If the situation does not improve in 72 hours, I would go on an indefinite dharna,” said Sinha.
As per an agreement with the state government, DVC has to supply 600 MW power daily in the seven districts of Jharkhand, including Rachi, Palamu and Hazaribag, but it has resorted to power cuts over non-payment of dues.
Meanwhile Jharkhand Industries and Trade Association (JITA) president Amitesh Sahay and Jharkhand Commerce and Industries Association chief BN Singh among others have sent a memorandum to the chief minister urging that something be done to solve the power crisis.
A Maithon-based senior official of the DVC said that the decision for power cuts are taken at Kolkata headquarters and local authorities can do little about it.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren has recently alleged that the Centre was meting out a “step-motherly treatment” to Jharkhand, with Coal India not paying the state the “huge money” it owes while funds get auto-debited from the RBI account for the Damodar Valley Corporation.
At a meeting with NITI Aayog officials in Ranchi, Soren had urged them to resolve issues pertaining to DVC. PTI CORR NAM RMS RMS
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.