Loadshedding in Comilla disrupted public life, disrupted irrigation and factory production in Boro
Photo Collected
Extreme heat on the one hand, intense load shedding on the other – such a situation has upset the public life of the people of Comilla. The life of common people has come to a standstill due to power outages both day and night. Especially industrial production and irrigation during the current Boro season are severely disrupted.
Meanwhile, compared to the city, the rural areas of various upazilas are currently experiencing severe load shedding, according to customers. In some upazilas of the district, it has been found that there is more than 10 hours of load shedding in 24 hours. People are suffering from heat especially in the late night due to power outage.
Bangladesh Electricity Development Board supplies electricity to some upazilas of the district including Comilla Nagar. Electricity is being supplied to the remaining 17 upazilas through four associations of rural electricity. Talking to the officials of these institutions, it is known that in some places, much less electricity is available than the demand. According to their data, there is currently a 40% shortfall in supply compared to demand.
Sharmin Akhtar, a resident of Daulatpur area of Comilla suburb, is upset because of the ongoing load shedding. Around 12:15 PM on Sunday, Sharmin Akhter told Prothom Alo that there was load shedding 7 times between 12:00 PM on Saturday and 12:00 PM on Sunday. Meanwhile, the electricity suddenly went off at around 11 pm on Saturday. Electricity came after about 3 hours around 2 am. The remaining 6 times were load shedding from 10 minutes to 35 minutes. Still no electricity; It’s half past 12 o’clock. At present there is a lot of trouble with the child in this frequent and prolonged load-shedding in extreme heat. What happens during the day, is more difficult at night.
Ahidur Rahman, a resident of Baishagaon village in Manoharganj upazila of the district, told Prothom Alo on the phone, “Comilla Palli Vidyut Samity-4 has the highest load shedding in the southern area of Manoharganj. We get electricity for 14 hours on an average. Remaining load shedding is more than 8-10 hours. There is no end to the suffering of people in this area due to electricity. I am in a lot of trouble.
Bangladesh Electricity Development Board (Sales and Distribution Division-01) Executive Engineer of Comilla. Shahidul Islam told Prothom Alo that information about Comilla city and the rest of the country is different. Because electricity in Comilla comes from India’s Tripura grid. This electricity is not connected to the national grid; This power is being connected to Jangaliya and is being supplied directly to Comilla city. Due to which the load shedding is very less in Comilla city as compared to the rest of the country. The entire city has a demand of 110 MW. Against this, more than 80 MW is being supplied.
Md. Shahidul Islam also said that electricity is supplied to 6 districts of Comilla, Brahmanbaria, Chandpur, Laxmipur, Noakhali and Feni from the distribution department of Comilla zone. The average demand for electricity here is 1,800 MW. At present 1000 to 1000 MW electricity is available.
Electricity is being supplied to Chandina, Devidwar, Muradnagar and Barura upazilas of the district from Comilla Palli Vidyut Samiti-1. General Manager (GM) of this association. Rasheduzzaman told Prothom Alo that the number of customers in these four upazilas is more than 6 lakh. The demand is more than 100 MW during the day and 165 MW during the night. But there is an average load shedding of more than 30 percent every day. 7 to 8 hours of load shedding in 24 hours.
Electricity is supplied to Adarsh Sadar, Sadar Dakshin, Burichong, Brahmanpara, Lalmai and Chauddagram upazilas of the district from Comilla Palli Vidyut Samiti-2. Dilip Chandra Chowdhury, the senior general manager (GM) of this association told Prothom Alo, their daily demand is about 150 MW; Against this, about 125 MW is available. And at night the demand is about 160 MW; Against this, about 135 MW is available. He said that the load shedding is comparatively less due to the electricity coming directly from Tripura, India.
Electricity is supplied from Comilla Palli Vidyut Samiti-3 to Daudkandi, Homna, Meghna and Bancharampur in Brahmanbaria and a part of Ghazaria in Munshiganj in the district. Senior General Manager (GM) of the association. Mujibul Haque said that there is an average demand of 155 megawatts per day. Can supply 112 MW on Sunday. There is a shortfall of 43.48 MW. At present loadshedding is on an average of 6 hours.
General Manager (GM) of Comilla Palli Vidyut Samiti-4. Shahid Uddin told Prothom Alo that electricity is supplied from this association in Laksam, Manoharganj and Nangalkot upazilas of the district. Currently there is an average demand of 80 MW, but getting 50 to 55 MW. Almost every day 30 to 40 percent of the time loadshedding has to be done.
Boro paddy is now in the crop field in every upazila of Comilla. At this time, the electricity crisis has left the farmers worried. Due to load shedding, most of the irrigation pumps remain closed for a large part of the day and night.
Motaleb Miah, a farmer in Jafarganj area of Devidwar district, said that the rice ears came out a few days ago; At this time, the land needs regular water, but the electricity does not come back. Many people fear that their land is falling apart, and that the yield will be greatly reduced. Apart from this, irrigation with diesel powered pumps is not possible due to shortage of fuel oil.
Jasim Uddin, the owner of an electric irrigation pump in Banti area of Burichong Upazila of Comilla, told Prothom Alo, “We don’t get electricity for 7 to 8 hours out of 24 hours. We irrigate people’s land from river Gomti with this pump. But at present due to severe loadshedding I am not able to irrigate people’s boro paddy land properly. We have to listen to people every day. I cannot explain what I am suffering.
The owners and workers of various factories said that due to the ongoing load shedding, the production in the industrial city of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BCIC) located in Ashoktala area of Comilla Nagar is being disrupted. Shah Alam, a worker of a food manufacturing company, told Prothom Alo, “I have been suffering for about 20 days. We make various food products including biscuits in our factory. Most of the work requires current. Due to repeated loadshedding during work, goods take longer to manufacture. 8 hours of work takes 11 hours and 12 hours.’
The owner of a factory in BCIC said on condition of anonymity, “If there is no electricity, I cannot even run the generator because of the oil crisis.” Frequent loadshedding is causing many equipments to break down. If it goes on like this, there will be a lot of losses.
Industrial production is severely disrupted in every area of the district including Comilla EPZ like BSIC. Deputy General Manager of Comilla BC. Muntasir Mamun told Prothom Alo that each of their 141 industries is somehow dependent on electricity. Load shedding has increased especially for about 15 days. It is seriously disrupting the production process.
Source: Prothom Alo Bangla
0%
0%
0%
0%
