BJP tells Govt to supply free hand-fans, lanterns to public

Chandigarh, Aug 21 (UNI) Intensifying its drive against the ''anti-public'' policies of Amarinder Singh-led government, the BJP's youth wing today resorted to selling lanterns and traditional hand-held fans to protest against the ''horrible'' state of power supply in Punjab.

''If the leisure seeking leadership at the helm of affairs in Punjab can not ensure power supply for the common man, it can at least start providing free lantern and ''Pakkhis'' to the public through its electricity boards,'' said the BJP youth wing national executive member Vineet Joshi, who led the activists in the symbolic on-counter sales at the party's office here.

''This unique gesture of selling lanterns and 'Pakkhis' is a perfect comment on the on-going power crisis which is worst in the history of the state. The cities of Punjab are reeling under power cuts ranging from 8 to 12 hours, a crisis unimaginable in a prosperous state like Punjab,'' Mr Joshi said.

Listing the duration of power cuts in major Punjab cities, Mr Joshi said Amritsar was facing 6-hour cut daily, while cities like Hoshiarpur, Abohar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Bathinda and Pathankot were also reeling under cuts ranging from 8 to 12 hours.

The BJP leader also challenged Capt Amarinder Singh to spell out the villages and areas where the much-hyped 8-hour daily supply was supposedly being maintained in the state.

''All this talk of 8-hour supply is a myth for common farmers in the state, for whom the long spells of powerless homes and fields are the only reality,'' he said.

The state was facing the worst power crisis in its history with a shortfall of over 2600 MWs. Against a total available capacity of 5700 MWs, the PSEB was facing a need of nearly 9000 MWs. This was likely to go up even further in the coming days. In terms of lakh units, the state was in need of at least 1700 LUs daily and the supply rests on 1100 LUs daily, he claimed.

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