UP’s power woes: Akhilesh blames Centre, minister hits right back

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, facing criticism for the worst ever power crisis in the state, on Friday put the ball in the Centre’s court saying that it is due to lack of coal supply from the Centre because of which power generation units in the state are able to work to their full capacity.

‘I have asked the Centre to allot more coal blocks to the state and its thermal power units for electricity generation in full strength,’ he told reporters in Kanpur. The chief minister also informed that a letter has been sent to the centre on Thursday.

He alleged that coal supply to the thermal power station in the state is erratic leading to low generation from thermal power stations.

‘Let them supply full quota of coal to the state thermal units, then there would not be any power crisis besides, the centre should also give UP’s share in the power too,’ he said.

Poor supply of coal to the Anpara and Lanco thermal power projects in the state has also decreased power generation by around 400 megawatt, he added.

The state government has also written a letter to the Centre to provide an additional 1,200 MW of power to the state to meet the power demand.

Meanwhile, all the opposition political parties blamed the UP government for the power crisis and the BJP even went to the extent of alleging that Samajwadi Party government was taking revenge with the people for not voting them in the Lok Sabha elections.

People in different parts of the state are also holding violent protests against power cuts leading to law and order problems in the state. The Uttar Pradesh government at present is purchasing power worth over Rs 15 crore daily from the private companies to meet its power demand.

Meanwhile, newly-appointed coal and power minister Piyush Goyal listing sources, which can be tapped by the state for power, said UP can also procure adequate electricity from the exchanges.

‘We have supplied adequate quantity of coal to power plants in Uttar Pradesh as per the linkage. We have also offered the state government to buy power from the northern grid. Whatever assistance the state government requires we are happy to provide, I have personally been trying to contact UP Chief Minister (Akhilesh Yadav) since morning and have left messages but have unfortunately not heard from him,’ Goyal added.