AMRITSAR: Shiromani Akai Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal said here today the power crisis in Punjab was entirely man made and a direct consequence of the Congress government’s “utter neglect and absence of advance planning and preparedness. It is a part of the overall administrative paralysis gripping Punjab today following the ruling party’s obsession with power games and vendetta politics”.
“This is a crisis that was waiting to happen and it has nothing to do with the much touted shortage of coal elsewhere. The ministry of coal has clarified that there is no shortage of coal supplies in the country. That clearly shows that .the Punjab government is the real villain as it was not keeping the required reserves of coal to meet such situations. This is what this Cong government is doing to Punjab which we had turned into a power surplus state, ” said Mr Badal.
The former deputy CM said that power was one of the key priority areas during the Akali government. Apart from revolutionising power availability, the SAD govt laid special emphasis on green energy. The state was acknowledged as the leader in adding solar power capacity as it made unprecedented progress in turning “ to the Sun as our next thermal station. “
The SAD president said that the ‘looming crisis once again highlights the total contrast between the flawless and efficient manner in which the Akali government led by S Parkash Singh Badal addressed the people’s issues and the utterly irresponsible and incompetent way in which the present rulers are doing it. “When we assumed office in 2007, the state was used to daily power cuts lasting 14 to 16 hours. We promised to turn Punjab into a power surplus state and we made the people forget power cuts even during the peak summer months while the Congress rulers are unable to manage the situation even when there is no pressure of extra load.”
Mr Badal said that the present power crisis was easily foreseeable and manageable if the government had the time and the will to prepare for it in advance. “ But they have wasted nearly five years either in “power crisis” within the party or in vendetta against political rivals. They believe that they don’t need to govern or to address the people’s problems and that they can regain power simply by putting Akalis in jail on false allegations. This approach has resulted in the mess in which the state finds itself today, ” said Mr Badal.”
The former Deputy Chief Minister further said, ”Coal shortages are nothing new and these happened during our times also. But we always used to prepare in advance. We always kept enough coal in reserves and never let the state run into such foreseeable and preventable crises.”
The SAD president said that this was not the first time that the Congress ruler have brought the state to the brink of darkness. In the corresponding period last year also, the state was left with spare coal enough to last just a few hours. Luckily for the people then, the center helped the state with additional supplies of coal to tide over the crisis. But this government has always relied on luck alone to solve problems, ” said Mr Badal.
“I request CM to stop rushing Delhi every second day and start taking responsibility of the State. It is condemnable that the chief minister and the Power minister never bothered to check the stock of coal and power situation, so people are now reeling under the present crisis”.
Replying to a media query regarding Navjot Sidhu's proposed silence protest "Maun Vrat" in Amritsar tomorrow, the SAD president said: "He is a drama master. Even at Lakhimpur Kheri he sat on hunger strike and observed silence for a night, sat on protest after dinner and broke it before breakfast."
During visit to Sri Amritsar Sahib, S. Sukhbir Singh Badal paid obeisance at Valmiki temple in Gawal Mandi, Hanuman Mandir and Jama Masjid on GT Road, Gurdwara Cheharata Sahib and Gurdwara Bohri Sahib.
The SAD president was given rousing reception by SOI activists outside GNDU campus.
Later, Sukhbir Badal held a massive rally organised by Mr Anil Joshi in Ranjit Avenue area, where people welcomed him with garlands, petal showering and sweets. City residents assured him of SAD-BSP victory in 2022 Assembly elections. Thanking everyone, Sukhbir Singh Badal announced that the alliance government will ensure the city sees all round development, which was stopped during the Congress regime. He also promised to take everyone along and stand by the residents' expectations from his party.
Others present on the occasion included Dr Dalbir Verka, Anil Joshi, Gurpartap Tikka, Talbir Gill and SGPC member Rajinder Singh Mehta.