Lok Sabha Debates
Regarding Shortage Of Power In Tamil Nadu. on 4 December, 2012
> Title: Regarding shortage of power in Tamil Nadu.
SHRI S.S. RAMASUBBU (TIRUNELVELI): Mr. Chairman, Sir, I would like to raise a very important problem which we are facing in Tamil Nadu.
Now-a-days, in Tamil Nadu we are facing acute shortage of power and for more than 18 hours, we are not having electricity in Tamil Nadu. The people of Tamil Nadu are suffering a lot because of the shortage of power. Almost all the industries in all the districts of our State are suffering a lot because of this problem. Most of the small-scale industries in Tamil Nadu have been closed now. There are array of unemployed people in our State now. They do not have any employment opportunity. They are starving now.
Also there are many problems. Agriculture people are hesitating to cultivate the crops because it is not possible for them to get power for their pump sets. This is the prevailing situation in our State. … (Interruptions)
SHRI O.S. MANIAN (MAYILADUTHURAI): The Government of India is not giving electricity to Tamil Nadu. … (Interruptions)
SHRI S.S. RAMASUBBU : I am just telling the reality. I am asking the Central Government also.
Sir, we are really facing a severe handicap. The Southern Region has not been interconnected with the national grid. This is a very important point. Mr. Chairman, Sir, you are aware and the Members from Tamil Nadu are also aware that no other State in the country is in such a condition, and our State is facing a very severe power shortage. The Southern Region has not been interconnected with the national grid. Geographical location of a State should not be a handicap for buying or selling of power.
The hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has also said the same thing. I am repeating here. The State of Tamil Nadu needs 18,000 MW and then only we can run our industries and give electricity to our people. In all walks of our life, we need electricity. Now, only 8,500 MW power is available in Tamil Nadu. So, we need more electricity to manage all these things. Immediately our State requires 4,500 MW power immediately. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to manage.
I would like to mention one point here. During the dengue problem in my district, I had raised that problem here, and at that time I had asked the Health Minister to send a Central Team to ascertain all the problems of the people. The Central Team came there and ascertained all the problems, and the dengue problem was solved in my district at that time.
In the same way, I would request the hon. Minister, through you, Sir, - this is a very important problem – to send a Central Team to Tamil Nadu to ascertain the prevailing dreadful situation in regard to shortage of power. It is a dreadful condition. The people of Tamil Nadu are living in darkness. I would request the hon. Minister to solve this problem. Immediately a Central Team should be sent to Tamil Nadu for assessing the situation and also give more electricity to Tamil Nadu.
As a Member of Parliament from Tamil Nadu and on behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu, I am requesting the Central Government to give more power.
The Kudankulam project should be inaugurated immediately and more electricity should be given to Tamil Nadu. This is a very important problem to be solved, I would like to bring it, through you, Sir, to the notice of the Central Government.