As the severest heatwave in recent times sweeps large parts of India, all previous records of heat were broken, new records were made in peak power demand, and records were set for frequent and prolonged power outage.
Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana and Odisha are facing severe heatwave.
On Friday, the world’s top 50 hottest cities were in India. Banda in UP was the hottest with its maximum temperature at 48.2 deg C.
People came out on roads to protest frequent and prolonged power cuts in Lucknow and other cities of UP. They gheraoed power stations and forced their local MLAs and Mayors to intervene.
Union Power Ministry says, on May 18, power demand across India was 257 gigawatts, which rose to 271 gigawatts on May 21. In June last year, the highest power demand was 243 gigawatts.
The Centre says there is no power shortage, but problems arise due to sudden rise in load.
Problems do not come alone. First, petrol, diesel, CNG prices were hiked, then followed a gruelling summer both during day and in the night, and this led to highest peak power demand.
Those who were using diesel generators in the past, had switched to electricity, and since most of the homes have power meters now, the demand for power has increased.
If UP is said to be power surplus, then the problem lies in power transmission. If supply lines are not working satisfactorily and transformers get burnt, then the blame lies with local power distribution.
If people suffer from power cuts despite surplus power generation, it means, the local power supply officials did not make adequate preparations in advance for the gruelling Indian summer.
Those responsible for this, must face power disconnection in their homes for a few days. Only then will they realise the intensity of heat.
Bakrid: No namaz on road
After UP CM Yogi Adityanath ruled out namaz on roads, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that his government would not allow roads to be blocked for namaz in public.
The BJP government in West Bengal has also prohibited offering of namaz in public places. Animal sacrifices in public have also been banned.
Last year, thousands turned up to offer namaz on public thoroughfares on the last Friday preceding Bakrid, but this year, neither were the roads blocked nor was traffic obstructed. People offered prayers inside mosques.
Delhi government has issued guidelines prohibiting animal sacrifices on Bakrid in public places. Anybody found slaughtering cattle or camel in public will face action.
Even Muslim scholars agree that sacrificing cows during Bakrid is not acceptable and the law does not allow this.
Slaughtering animals in public causes problems to people from other religions. Offering namaz on public thoroughfares cause traffic jams. Our Muslim brethren will never like others to face problems because of their festival.
Top maulanas have appealed to people to offer namaz in mosques and avoid Bakrid slaughtering in public places.
Let us hope people heed to their advice and the festival of Eidul Azha is observed in an atmosphere of amity and peace.
Why is Brij Bhushan hounding Vinesh Phogat?
Delhi High Court has slammed Wrestling Federation of India for preventing wrestler Vinesh Phogat from participating in the selection trials for Asian Games.
The High Court took objection to the WFI describing Phogat as “a national shame” for her defeat in 2024 Paris Olympics.
The WFI had declared Phogat as ineligible for participation in selection trials. The High Court said, WFI should not work with vengeance.
The bench asked the Centre to set up a panel of experts to decide whether Vinesh Phogat should be allowed in selection trials for Asian Games, scheduled for May 30-31.
The High Court said, to become a mother is a matter of honour and she should not be penalised for becoming a mother. WFI has been consistently harassing Vinesh Phogat and the High Court has also pointed this out.
It was Vinesh Phogat who had raised her voice against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, whose men run WFI, and she has been penalised this time. It is a sin to prevent a sportsperson from taking part in sports.
What’s wrong if Vinesh contested elections on a Congress ticket? What’s wrong if the wrestling champion became a mother? How can questions be raised about her wrestling based on these flimsy grounds?
Let the Centre set up an independent panel of experts. The Centre must ensure that Brij Bhushan's men must not interfere with the work of the panel.
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