Chandigarh: The Punjab Congress has criticised the state govt over unprecedented marathon power cuts lasting for as long as 10-12 hours. Punjab Pradesh Congress president Amaninder Singh Raja Warring questioned the claims of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) that the power cuts were “planned” and were necessitated for maintenance reasons. He asked why the PSPCL did not do it during the winter season, as is the standard practice, since demand is low and people are not subjected to any suffering due to power outages. Warring noted that this was yet another distinction the Aam Aadmi Party achieved to push the power-surplus Punjab to a power-deficient state. He disclosed that the industry across the state was suffering an average daily loss of Rs 500 crore. Besides, people were subjected to suffering the severe heat wave without electricity. The PCC president pointed out that the power outages were affected in the industrial cities of Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar, as also in Patiala and Bathinda.MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa raised serious concerns over the Punjab govt’s priorities, pointing out the stark contrast between the chief minister’s ongoing Europe tour to attract industrial investment and the worsening electricity situation back home. Randhawa stated that while the state govt is showcasing Punjab as an attractive investment destination abroad, the ground reality tells a very different story, with widespread power cuts and unstable electricity supply crippling daily life and economic activity. He remarked that uninterrupted power supply is one of the most fundamental requirements for any industrial growth, and questioned how the govt expects to bring global investors to Punjab when existing businesses are struggling to operate due to frequent and unannounced outages.“On one hand, the chief minister is touring Europe promising industrial growth and economic expansion, while on the other, traders, small industries and even households in Punjab are facing prolonged power cuts. This contradiction exposes a serious gap between claims and reality,” Randhawa said. MSID: 130469054 413 |
