Massive power crisis looms large over NE

NEW DELHI, August 25: The threat of a massive power crisis looms large over the Northeast with the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) threatening to suspend its operations in the region owing to non-payment of outstanding dues to the tune of Rs 180 crore. The PGCIL, which has set up the North Eastern Regional Transmission System (NERTS) at the request of the Union government, has now approached the Centre to compensate for its losses in the region. Its request for a grant of Rs 800 crore to make good its losses in the Northeast is also pending approval by the government. Painting a dismal picture as far as its financial dealings in the region is concerned, the chairman-cum-managing director of the corporation, RP Singh, told newspersons that they had no option but to think in term of suspending the services in the region if the state electricity boards did not clear their dues. He, however, declined to set any deadline, saying they were in touch with the Union government as well as the respective state governments. Assam was among the six defaulter states in the country from whom the PGCIL was yet to get Rs 1,000 crore. The others are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi. The Assam State Electricity Board's outstanding dues are around Rs 4 crore, 50 per cent of which was cleared recently after the PGCIL threatened to suspend its services, he said.