The Hills State People Democratic Party member of the House Ardent Basawaiawmoit had threatened to launch an agitation against the power hike which has hard hit the rural areas where the poorer sections of the people could not afford to keep up with the ever rising bills. It was pointed out in the House that the normal bills in rural areas are about Rs.450 per month at an average which had suddenly shot up to an unbelievable Rs.9,200 in some cases. This calls for an explanation by the power authorities in the State regarding this abnormality.

A majority of domestic connections in the State comprise of low tension domestic power paying Rs.35 per kilowatt. The Meghalaya Public Distributor Corporation Limited had already filed a distribution tariff petition for an 89 per cent hike. However, if the increase is placed at 500 per cent, for the domestic users with a load factor of 3 kilowatt of about 200 units per month, the electricity bills will shoot up from Rs.665 per month to Rs.1565.

However, the entire gamut would be further scanned and determined by the Meghalaya State Regulatory Commission. In the larger interest of the consumers, it should be ensured that the plight of the consumers should be taken into account and not only the hike in the tariff. At present, the energy charge in the State is RS.2.60 to Rs.3.75 and any hike that might take place should be within reasonable limits. The fact remaining that a huge increase in domestic consumption would create more problems of non – payment of bills by the consumers in which the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) would find itself in trouble in tackling the problem of non – payment of bills which will keep on mounting from month to month.

In the last budget session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister of the State Dr. Mukul Sangma had, to a certain extent, explained the position. He had also said that compared to the other neighbouring States, the power tariff in Meghalaya is the lowest as at present. The growth of energy consumption, though being the lowest as compared to other neighbouring States, is on the other hand burdened with increased expenses. The tariff for the non – domestic category, including industries should therefore be increased so as to bring about a balanced offset and limit the increase in domestic consumption.

Against the trend of increasing the tariff, the people also suffer from time to time from load shedding and frequent power failures which becomes very irritating. There is therefore a need to increase the generating capacity, not only of the conventional hydel power, but also to take recourse to non – conventional methods which are cheaper and also more environmentally friendly. Already, Meghalaya is a small State and cannot afford to give more and more space for the construction of dams and reservoirs at the cost of losing large tracts of cultivable land and also forest cover.

If at all an increase in tariff is needed, it should be done in stages so as to avoid the pinch that consumers have to bear. There should also be justification in the increase by way of a reasonable amount. Side by side, there is also a need to step up existing power projects for early completion to give substantial relief to the different types of consumers. It is true that the State is facing a power deficit against twenty to thirty per cent of the demand to augment the generating capacity and also to draw additional power from the North Eastern Power Grid.

A fresh look, is therefore to be taken in the overall power position like utilizing the vast coal resources in the State in setting up thermal power projects along the lines of the 240 Megawatt project in the Garo Hills. As far as financial needs are concerned; generating and transmitting schemes can also be brought under the assistance of the World Bank and also undertaking Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms programmes in order to attain efficiency and minimum expenses. Even non – State Government agencies can be roped in for cheaper power production. So also to step up renewable sources of energy so as to achieve the present need and demand of 600 Megawatt of power in which the power position will be more comfortable.

The Meghalaya Non – Conventional and Rural Energy Development Agency has to be strengthened to harness other sources of non – conventional energy such as bio – gas, wind energy and solar energy which will go a long way in the augmentation of power energy to cover one hundred per cent of villages under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana. Importance should also be given to micro and mini hydel projects which can easily be run by the people in the villages themselves to also serve as a source of employment for the rural people in their bid to generate their own power energy for domestic and agricultural purposes. Such schemes can be assisted by the Power Finance Corporation under the Re – structured Accelerated Power Development Reforms Programme. Finally, the State cannot only depend on big hydel projects alone as Meghalaya lies in a seismic zone which is not conducive to the setting up of mega – hydel projects.

However, maximum advantage can be taken from the already existing hydel projects in the State such as the Myntdu Leshka Hydro Power Project. In this connection, the Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission has already fixed an interim tariff for the power of the project at Rs.2.83 per unit which is much cheaper than the rate of power which the State is buying from outside. It is in this light that the power tariff cannot be hiked suddenly in a manner that is out of proportion to the realities of the situation.

U Sumar Sing Sawian