Lamp lighting ignites nation's imagination

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for a 'nine minute' lamp lighting assignment to the people on Sunday night has come under lens for not only its usefulness but also its impact on the power grid of the country with some quarters rising apprehensions that this could lead to a collapse of the grid itself.

Rumours began flying thick and apprehensions over its impact on the medical facilities too began flooding the social media.

While the Congress demanded that the PM instead find a solution to the economic crisis and rise up to the challenges that the lockdown imposed on the country, the CPI too ridiculed the idea.

While West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee refused to be drawn into the debate while the Maharashtra government asked the Prime Minister to look for pragmatic solutions.

However, it was clear that most of those critical of the PM's call misinterpreted both what he said and why he said. Modi himself did not say it was to drive away corona.

He only said it was to bond the people together in the fight against corona. Secondly, he did not ask people to switch off every electrical connection, but only appealed to the people to switch off the electric lights in the house. He made no further reference to any other connection.

Finally, the Power Ministry had to step in and give clarification. The Ministry said: "The Prime Minister has appealed to the people to voluntarily switch off their lights from 9 pm to 9:09 pm on the 5th of April.

Some apprehensions have been expressed that this may cause instability in the grid and fluctuation in voltage which may harm the electrical appliances. These apprehensions are misplaced. The Indian electricity grid is robust and stable and adequate arrangements and protocols are in place to handle the variation in demand."

The following may be noted, it said: "The appeal of the Prime Minister is to simply switch off the lights in their homes. There is no call to switch off either streetlights or appliances like computers, TVs, fans, refrigerators and ACs in the homes. Only lights should be switched off.

The lights in hospitals and all other essential services like Public Utilities, Municipal Services, Offices, Police Stations, Manufacturing Facilities, etc will remain on.

The call given by the PM is to just switch off lights in residences." The Power Ministry also asked all local bodies to keep the streetlights on for public safety.

Some state governments, it is said, are also planning staggered load shedding to avoid any problem.