CPIM, TMC scale up ante in Tripura against Power Minister over power crisis

Agartala, Sep 15, 2023, ENEWSTIME Desk

Opposition Parties in Tripura are slamming the Power Department Minister for an unabated power crisis in the State.

Former Power Minister of the Left Front government, Manik Dey, has criticized the BJP-led coalition government, alleging that the power sector in Tripura is deteriorating rapidly due to the privatization policies implemented by both the Central and state governments.

Addressing a convention organized by the CITU state committee at the Agartala Muktadhara auditorium of Friday, Dey expressed strong opposition to the privatization of the power and rail sectors.

He pointed out that at a time when power generation in the state is declining, which was once known for its surplus power, power transmission and distribution public sector units (PSUs) are being handed over to private partners.

Dey stated, "The Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) has now become a business hub focused on making a profit rather than ensuring a reliable power supply in the state." He also raised concerns about the privatization of the Power Grid Corporation Limited, likening it to the privatization of ONGC. He alleged that both the country's and the state's power sectors are being privatized solely for profit.

Moreover, Dey criticized the government for increasing power tariffs without the recommendation of the Power Regulatory Board, suggesting that such moves are a burden on the people of the state.

Meanwhile, the Pradesh Trinamool Congress staged a protest at the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited Office (TSECL) in Agartala, condemning the ongoing power crisis in Tripura. TMC leader Santanu Deb expressed concern over the power crisis, saying, "In a power surplus state like Tripura, the ongoing power crisis has been thrust upon the common people." He highlighted widespread power cuts across various regions of the state and alleged that consumers were not receiving proper responses when contacting the department authorities.

Critiquing the role of the current Power Minister, Ratan Lal Nath, TMC agitators claimed that the department was now being managed by someone they considered ineffective, adding that the people of Tripura had not experienced such power outages in the past.