Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (RJP)
Pic: Nesara Peraldarakatte
Beltangady, Sep 6: When it comes to electricity, Beltangady taluk has been known to be self-reliant. Especially in the rainy season, it does not have to depend on outside supply. But unfortunately, it has seen the highest load shedding in the rainy season this year.
One may think that it may be due to some tree falling on the electricity line. But as there has been no rain for last many days, that possibility is distant. The fact is, there is no sufficient water to produce electricity. That is why the load shedding is taking place.
Rural areas have twice more load-shedding than the urban areas. And they do not have any fixed time. Electricity is turned on and off anytime during day and night.
Beltangady taluk gets sufficient electricity from mini hydro units from the taluk itself. But the production of electricity has come down by half. The total requirement of the taluk is 35 to 40 mega watts, out of which 16 mega watts of electricity is supposed to be supplied from the mini hydro units alone. But the production has reduced to 8 mega watts this year. Additional 2 mega watts comes from Kemar transmission centre. With 85,000 connections in the taluk, 10 mega watts supply is way below the required demand.
Normally during the rainy season, pumping of water is not done for agricultural purpose. But this year due to scarcity of rains, pumps are used for this purpose. Hence the demand has gone up by 20 % during this season. The demand has gone up also due to more connections provided in the recent past under the Rajiv Gandhi rural electrification scheme. Only a few people have solar connections in the taluk. Due to government apathy, solar projects have not taken off though some private concerns have offered to establish a solar park in the area.
People in the taluk have demanded that electricity be imported from Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and other states to meet the current demand.
Also, it is learnt that 42 gram panchayats owe Rs 7.85 crore to Mescom. Ujire gram panchayat alone owes Rs 1 crore.
With these multiple problems, Beltangady has entered darkness without any solutions in sight. If this is the situation in rainy season, it would be much worse during summer, people say.