Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Bhagwant Mann and MLA Harpal Singh Cheema were detained by the police on Saturday for leading a protest outside the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at Siswan in Mohali against the power shortage in the state.
Amid tight security at the chief minister’s residence, AAP workers staged a protest and shouted slogans against the Congress government over the frequent power cuts. When the protesters forced their way through the first layer of barricades, the police used water cannons to disperse them.
As North India reels under an intense heat wave driving power demand to new highs, the Punjab government has been reeling under an unprecedented power shortage with urban and rural areas facing long hours of load shedding.
On Thursday, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh ordered government offices to reduce their timings from July 2. The Punjab CM also appealed to government offices to make judicious use of electricity, adding that the situation was dire.
Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered to cut down on power supply to high energy-consuming industries as the electricity demand in the state soared to over 14,000 MW a day.
In view of the assembly elections in Punjab next year, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal has promised 300 units of free electricity per month for every household in the state if his party wins the polls. The AAP leader also promised round-the-clock power supply in Punjab and waive pending electricity bills if his party is voted to power.
The Amarinder Singh-led government has been under fire from the Opposition for being unable to provide sufficient electricity to consumers, especially to farmers during the paddy sowing season.
