Shiv Sena slams govt for load-shedding

Mumbai: Slamming the BJP-led Maharashtra government for ongoing load-shedding in the state, Shiv Sena on Friday said that this was contradictory to the dream of a digital India.

The editorial in Saamana, which is the Sena mouthpiece, comes on the back of load-shedding in various parts of the state with the onset of monsoons. The editorial said: “There is no way to understand as to why this government is again plunging Maharashtra into darkness when the previous government had brought relief from load-shedding. On one hand, the government sells dreams of digital India, the bullet train and Samruddhi Mahamarg and on the other, forces load-shedding on progressive states like ours.”

A few years ago, the word load-shedding had put Maharashtra to shame when the Congress-NCP government was in power, the editorial said. “Once again, load-shedding has started. The people are wondering whether the government is again going to put the state to shame. At a few places, the load-shedding is for up to nine hours. Vidarbha, Marathwada, Konkan and western Maharashtra are facing 25 to 40 per cent load shedding. The worst affected is Marathwada, as 400 industries in Aurangabad have closed down due to load-shedding.”

The state has potential for generating 33,500Mw of power while the current demand is 15,000Mw. “It is sad for the state if the government cannot meet requirements despite low demand. After monsoon, water is available but in the absence of power, water cannot be distributed through pumps. In the past three months, this is the second time that load-shedding has been forced across the state,” the Sena said.

Reacting to the Saamana editorial, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said that the government had closed down its generation sets at Koradi, pushing Maharashtra into load-shedding. Malik blamed the government for not accepting NTPC’s revival plan. “The government is creating artificial shortage of coal to benefit private players,” he said.