Power condition improves in Manipur

Imphal, July 18 (UNI) The power crisis in Manipur has slightly improved after the concerned department started providing the supply regularly, officials here today said.

However, every alternate day there would be load-shedding from 1800 to 2200 hours and for five hours daily during day time.

Earlier, people used to get only four to six hours of power supply daily.

Asked on why the state faced severe power crunch, the officials blamed it on the poor revenue collection as a result of which the department was unable to purchase it from other sources like NEEPCO.

About Rs 9 crores were lost every month as the power revenue could not be collected and hence the government was facing a major problem in clearing the bills, the officials added.

Some of the developmental projects could not be taken up as the amount due to be collected from the public and government offices were managed by fund diversion.

''The Loktak Downstream Project and Tipaimukh Multi Purpose Project were also on the anvil in the state and once the two projects were completed, the power situation will improve,'' officials added.

The Loktak project taken up by National Hydro Power Corporation was generating about 36 MW of power and the Leimakhong power project can also produce about 36 MW.

About 70 to 80 MW of power was required to meet the demand of the state.

UNI