New Delhi:
Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal had, on Monday, June 10, set a deadline of ten days to fix the gaping hole in the supply of power to Delhi, which is reeling under massive blackouts. Parts of the national capital continue to sweat under the double blow of record-breaking summer temperatures and blackouts that last for hours.
In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Additional Power Secretary Ankur Garg elaborates on the steps taken to address the power crisis and assures that unless another thunderstorm strikes Delhi, residents of the capital are headed for brighter days.
Here are the ten latest updates on Delhi's power crisis
It will take anywhere between seven to ten days for the power situation in Delhi to improve, says Mr Garg, but adds a rider: that is only if another thunderstorm does not strike the city. Three major transmission lines were damaged in a recent thunderstorm that hit Delhi on June 5.
11 important projects to salvage the power situation have been identified in Delhi. These will be completed within the 10-day deadline.
A special task force has been deployed for each project; three of them -- focussed on south Delhi -- have been completed
In the wake of the thunderstorm, the city suffered major power outages, with some blackouts lasting for hours. But Mr Garg says there are sufficient emergency systems in place this time; Power Grid Corporation of India Limited or PGCIL is helping restore the systems already in place.
The most affected area is East Delhi, where two projects are going on simultaneously, each with a deadline of seven days.
A dysfunctional power line from Uttar Pradesh is also being repaired and a fresh line is being laid.
The shortage of coal should not affect power plants in and around Delhi, says Mr Garg, as most of them run on gas.
Delhi recorded a surprising surplus of 188 MW in its power supply today. Residents of the capital city recorded the highest demand of the season -- 5470 MW - yesterday.
The power crisis has turned into a political blame-game, with the BJP blaming the shortage on the Congress government, which was in charge of Delhi for 15 years. The Congress, in turn, held protests against the power crisis today.
Arvind Kejriwal, chief of the Aam Aadmi Party, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has sought "ten minutes" to discuss the issue. Members of Parliament from AAP also met Mr Goyal and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung today, and demanded strong action against private power companies which are responsible for the maintenance of the distribution network.
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