Power crisis Karnataka; JD(S) demands release of white paper

Bengaluru: Former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday demanded that the Congress government in Karnataka release White Paper on the ongoing power crisis in the state.

JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy alleged that the Congress government is all set to extend the guarantee of darkness to the state before the Navratri festival.

This would be the sixth guarantee scheme by the Congress, he stated.

Lack of vision and failure in management are pushing the state to an unheard power crisis in history in the coming days, he stated.

The government had given five half-fulfilled guarantee schemes and washed its hands away.

By December, the state will be pushed into a great power crisis for sure. By January 2024, the free power scheme Griha Jyothi will be done away with and the state will be in pitch darkness, Kumaraswamy said.

Throughout the state, the government has forced load shedding and the people are deprived of even two hours of electricity.

Besides this, the government had blatantly lied on the Cauvery water issue. The Tamil Nadu government had taken a decision against the state in the Assembly.

"Our farmers are gifted with load shedding and no power. But, Tamil Nadu is gifted with enormous water," Kumaraswamy stated.

The crops are dying due to the shortage of electricity. There is no water in channels and there is no electricity to pump the water. Before the crisis, the Karnataka state was falling short in production of electricity. It is already begging other states for electricity. The production of hydro, wind and solar powered electricity has seen a shortfall. This is inefficiency and lack of vision, Kumaraswamy stated.

As the water levels were low in reservoirs, the government had ordered to bring down the production of electricity. On the other hand, due to the shortage of coal, the power plants are also not able to produce to the optimum levels. The government is borrowing 20 per cent of the needed electricity from outside already.

The Congress is all set to push the state into a deep power crisis, he explained.

He wondered why the minister concerned was tight-lipped about the situation. The guarantee of darkness will be given to people for sure, but only it has to be seen whether it will be implemented in November or December.

Earlier, the state had enough financial reserves for purchase of electricity during droughts. But, now it seems the treasury is empty.

The Congress government wants to hijack people on the pretext of guarantee schemes till Lok Sabha elections and later it will show its back to people, Kumaraswamy attacked.

The government is in such a dire situation that it won't have the capacity to take credits for purchase of electricity. There is information that the service providers have not given dues for 11 months. If this is the state, what would be the future of agriculture and industry in Karnataka? The government should bring out the White Paper on the current situation, he asserted.