Industrialists suffer acute power crisis

MALDA, Nov. 1: The Malda local industrialists’ body has demanded rectification of the newly demarcated zone of electricity consumers prepared by the electricity department based on the “loss concept” to maintain its power cut policy. The small and medium scale industrialists in Narayanpur Industrial Growth Centre in Old Malda have come to know that this industrial hub has fallen in category-I zone in the departmental shedding policy. It may be noted that there are two categories for implementing the shedding schedule to make up power at any moment. So, the rate of load shedding will be low in category-II zone but in category-I the rate of load shedding may be unlimited. Based on the theory, the English Bazaar town belongs to category-II where the rate of profit is higher and the rate of revenue loss is lower than other loss making zones under category -I. “But the industrial zone at Narayanpur in Old Malda technically is entitled to come under category-II because it is a profitable zone for revenue earning. But mistakenly now belongs to category-I,” said a senior engineer of the state electricity. Citing an example, he said: “Siliguri town in Darjeeling district belongs to category-II and the electricity department can earn highest revenue and profit from this town in comparison to other towns in West Bengal. But the area like Gazole, Chanchal and other blocks in Malda belong to category-I due to huge loss of revenue earning. n SNS