AGARTALA, Oct 5 (TIWN): Palatana Power Plant (OTPC) had undergone 6 day’s full shut-down due to pipe line maintenance work, ended on Oct 4. However, load-shedding which is one of the biggest problems of Tripura, still continuing to its extent before OTPC’s shutdown. However, as there is a continuous clash between the Power plants and TSECL (Tripura State Electricity Corporation) over claims and counter-claims, also TSECL's non-payment of dues over Rs 100 to 250 crores to Power Plants, TSECL MD Shyamal Roy said that due to Palatana’s 6 day shut down load-shedding has been increased. Infact power Minister Manik Dey also mentioned many times that the plants of Tripura are failed to generate power, so govt. is also failed to provide power and stop load-shedding. However, load-shedding was not a common issue here. Palatana had gone for load-shedding before 5 days, and the problem of load-shedding is from decades. According to OTPC official sources, after generating power OTPC & other plants send them to the grid, after that it is the power dept. who distributes power, so plants are not anyhow related to load-sheddings which are caused by TSECL (Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd).

Blaming the rural people, TSECL MD Shyamal Roy also said that as the rural people use hook lines and thus destroys lots of power, so govt. goes through losses every year. 

He also said that Tripura govt. is under huge debt over  Rs. 100 crores which are yet to be paid to the plants, is due to rural people’s irresponsible wasting of power & for not paying monthly bills.

Minister Manik Dey before few days, told TIWN that the plants have failed to produce power. Mentioning Palatana Power Plant’s shut-down from 29^th  to hamper power supply state-wide, he further said that other Plants as Baramura Power Plant has also is not producing power as: Baramura Power Plant failed to produce 30 MW also, whether it was to produce 42 MW. Rest of the Plants are suffering from similar technical faults, adding that ONGC has failed to supply gas properly.

However, among all the excuses which were given by TSECL as well as Power Minister, the latest one was: OTPC shut down. But after the passing of 6 days of Palatana’s both units’ shut down, which will be ended on Oct 4, will the situation come under control? OTPC, biggest plant will be started to work again along with its 2 units. So more MWs will be generated from here and hopefully shortage of power will be end. But in reality, shut-down of power is a very common issue here and whether plants run or not, the situation remains same.

The urban & rural bodies are the worst sufferer. Except the capital Agartala, in urban areas 4 to 5 hours daily load-shedding is very common. For rural areas, the truth is that although power has reached there, but hardly power remains. Moreover, the connections via power posts which are set over there, are of so low quality that with a wave of wind the connection is lost and as a result of this shut-down of power for 5/6 days’ long is a common issue there and power dept. do not take initiatives to recover the problem alike town areas. Mostly ADC & other rural areas are badly suffered through this.

However, the CMD of TSECL assured that power-cut timing will be reduced once the power plants start generating power as per the target. 

But the question is “When”? When Manik Sarkar’s imagined Golden Era will be come in Tripura? Sarkar who can make any promise without fulfilling them, once promised that “Tripura will become a load-shedding free state”, and not only this it will share powers with neighbouring country.

But in reality Tripura’s power dept. has no future and already its pending bills to public sector power plants has crossed Hundred Crores!