HC takes suo motu cognisance of power cuts during festivals in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Apr 3 (PTI) The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday took suo motu cognisance of unprecedented power cuts by the Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL) during festivals involving processions which are taken out in the state capital.
    The JBVNL is the largest utility of Jharkhand for distributing electricity to retail and bulk consumers in the state.
    The court ordered the JBVNL not to shut down the power supply for long hours as it was done on April 1 during the celebration of the Sarhul festival, unless warranted due to some serious emergency such as extreme bad weather.
    A division bench of Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Deepak Roshan initiated a PIL observing that the shutdown of power supply ranging from 5 to 10 hours in the city from 1 pm to 11 pm on April 1 during the Sarhul celebration is a reason for concern.

    The court observed that stoppage of electricity supply affects the lives of residents, especially elderly and sick people at homes and hospitals, children, pregnant women and students studying for exams.

    Also, such a disruption forces businesses to be shut down causing a loss of revenue, the court observed.

    The bench directed the advocate general to file a response in the matter along with JBVNL. The case will be heard again on April 9.

    The court ordered the authorities to ensure that organisers of processions do not carry long poles for flags to ensure no power disruption or accident.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)