Ranchi, May 10: Jharkhand State Electricity Board has spelt out its priority areas where it will provide electricity in case of power cuts. The Board, in an affidavit before the high court, mentioned the Vidhan Sabha, Secretariat, airport, high court, Sewa Sadan, RINPAS to be on its priority list to provide power from the Hatia grid. A public interest litigation had been filed to expose the sorry state of affairs of the Board and the erratic power supply in the capital.

The counsel for the Board said that the Hatia grid generates 105 MW of power, while the Namkum grid produces 70 MW. However, in case of low production or loss of generation from thermal power plants, the Board is constrained to provide electricity to hospitals and other places in the priority sector. The counsel explained that if the Hatia grid generates minimum power of 25 MW, then it will be shifted to the priority sector. Only when there is sufficient increase in production, can other areas be included.

The Board, in its affidavit, has mentioned Apollo Hospital, Rukka meter supply, Birsa Munda Jail at Hotwar, railway feeders and booty pump houses on its priority list which are supplied power from Namkum grid. The counsel also said that the Board publishes names of areas and time where power will be switched off for undertaking maintenance work. However, power failures during sudden breakdowns cannot be accounted for and there is no way of predicting unforseen circumstances, the counsel explained.

In compliance with the court order, the counsel informed the division bench of the high court that the names of Board officers in charge of different areas of the capital along with their phone numbers have been published in local dailies. The public can contact these officials and enquire about their problems and queries with regard to power cuts, the counsel said.

The court put a question before the counsel appearing for the Board asking him whether it will be possible to announce or highlight the areas where there will be no electricity through the radio or visual media. People will then be able to know the exact positiion and reason for the power failure, the court observed.