Urban News

Source : The Hindu Date : 17.06.2009

Rajasthan demands its full water share from Punjab

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday took strong exception to the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) reducing the State’s share of the water released from the Harike barrage in neighbouring Punjab by 2,670 cusecs and demanded release of the full quantity of water to the feeders serving the State.

In separate letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Mr. Gehlot pointed out that the reduction in the supply of water to Rajasthan and its utilisation in Punjab was damaging the crops in the canal areas of Rajasthan and had led to strong resentment among farmers in the region.

Mr. Gehlot requested the Prime Minister to direct the BBMB to immediately release Rajasthan’s full share from the barrage, which is under the Punjab Government’s control. He noted that the BBMB, which functions under the Union Power Ministry, was itself finding it difficult to ensure release of water because of the Punjab Government being in command of the barrage.

The BBMB had decided to release 19,000 cusecs of water to Punjab and Rajasthan from the Harike barrage during June and is at present releasing 15,000 cusecs from the dam. Against the share of 9,770 cusecs allocated to Rajasthan in this water, Punjab is releasing only 7,100 cusecs.

Mr. Gehlot pointed out that only 6,000 cusecs of water against the State’s share of 8,370 cusecs was presently being released through the Indira Gandhi feeder, while 1,100 cusecs of water against the share of 1,400 cusecs was being released to the Ferozepur feeder for the Gang Canal.

Source : The Hindu Date : 17.06.2009

Discoms ask PWD, MCD to get meters for streetlights

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

NEW DELHI: Power distribution companies that will supply energy for the new streetlights to be installed in the Capital have shot off letters to the Public Works Department and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to speed up the process of seeking metered connections for these lights.

According to a Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission order, the discoms would provide metered connections to the streetlights and bills would be generated on the basis of actual consumption.

Prior to the commencement of the Commonwealth Games in 2010, Delhi will have new streetlights with better illumination and a fancier look. “It has come to the notice of the discoms that in some places the PWD and the MCD have started using the new streetlights which use 400 watt fittings instead of the old 250 watt fittings without seeking a proper metered connection,” said a Power Department official.

In some places the civic agencies have been using both the old as well as the new fittings simultaneously. Faced with a loss in revenue, the discoms have now written to the civic agencies to apply for metered connections and get the old ones removed.

“Earlier the discoms used to charge the PWD and the MCD on normative consumption based on wattage (250 watts). Each pole on the main roads and on the streets has two fittings each. So if the PWD and the MCD use the connections meant for 250 watts for lighting 400 watts the discoms stand to lose money,” the official said.

Admitting that some discrepancies have been reported in the use of new streetlights, a discom official said: “We have received 60-70 applications for a metered connection so far. But the process needs more streamlining, especially at the MCD’s end.” Ahead of the Commonwealth Games, old streetlights are being installed that have a higher lux (unit of luminance). While the 250 watt fittings used earlier had a lux level of 15-25, the news ones have a lux level of 35 and above and are mounted on 11.5-metre poles to cover a wider area.