Puja: ‘Power demand up by 427% since 2011’
Kolkata: The demand for electricity during Puja has surged by 427 per cent since 2011, with the number of temporary connections rising to 47,275 in 2023, up from 20,970 in 2011, according to State Power Minister Aroop Biswas.
He also noted that this year, the total number of Puja pandals requesting temporary connections is expected to exceed 49,000, an increase of nearly 2,000 compared to last year.
Over 4,800 Puja committees have so far applied for connections this year in the CESC area. Biswas said that the demand of power during puja stood at 210 MW in 2011 and it had jumped to 1,107 MW during last year’s puja which is a rise by 427 per cent. The number of puja pandals has gone up by 125 per cent from 2011 to 2023. The number is expected to go up this year. The minister also added that on the day of Chaturthi last year, the demand for power was recorded at 9,252 MW while the figure stood at 8,982 MW on Panchami, 8,542 MW on Sasthi, 7,740 MW on Saptami and 7,253 MW on Ashtami. During the latter days of Durga Puja last year the power demand dropped as the factories remained shut in those days, the minister pointed out.
A Puja control room has been opened at the Vidyut Bhawan. The numbers are 8900793503 and 8900793504.
They will remain active 24x7 till Jagadhhatri puja. Around 66,008 power department employees will remain deployed 24x7 during Puja, including 6,527 officers.
Leaves have been cancelled for all the power department employees during the puja.
“We are prepared to supply obstruction-free electricity during the Puja days. My request to the Puja committees is to refrain from joining wires and using pipeline wiring. Also please engage licensed electricians for the electrical works.
Our officials will carry out inspections at the pandals,” said Biswas. Ahead of Puja, the minister held a preparatory meeting on Thursday with the officials from CESC, West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL), West Bengal State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (WBSETCL), West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) and other stakeholders.
The minister informed that during the Puja, the WBSEDCL will operate 3,378 mobile vans. The CESC will run 200 emergency mobile vans and 100 additional repairing teams will be placed in strategic locations in the CESC area.
Around 100 model officers will remain operational to handle puja related issues under CESC’s jurisdiction. The CESC received 5,208 puja applications last year while the figure remained at 3,406 in 2011.The power load in CESC area was registered at 51 MW during last year’s Puja.
Over 4,800 Puja committees have so far applied for connections this year in the CESC area. It will operate their round-the-clock control room soon for the Puja committees. The numbers are 9831079666 and 9831083700.
