song of sacredeastwind: June 2009

30.6.09

John (Rahul) tries a pub pick-up!

John (Rahul): I think your life may be in danger!
Mary (Simran): Why? Why do you say that?
John (Rahul): Because I am just about to steal your heart!(sniggers)

Mary (Simran):
You said, my life is in Danger,
I forget,
from what exactly.
You said, I didn't have much time,
I forget,
how much time that would it be.

I see,
I know,
but I don't care enough,
to try and make a run for it...

You've been,
telling yourself that,
You are something special,
You've been,
hoping and dreaming,
that you'd make an impression,

I see,
I feel,
but I don't care enough,
to bother about answering you...

Because darling you have got to be joking,
If you think that a line will work with me,
If it seems I'd like to be swept off my feet,
And If you don't see the big red sign on me.

You still think you have a chance,
Can't believe,
I'm not being obvious.
Sitting smug on a bar stool by yourself,
Can't believe,
you're smiling and winking.

I see,
I know,
but I don't care enough,
to deflate your XL ego...

Because darling I think you're just plain drunk,
Since you think you could be, someone I want,
And someone less drunk, pawned that line to you,
in return for laughs, to call your bluff.

28.6.09

The Power of Power

New Delhi

Power cuts due to local faults add to citizens' woes

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

Frequent tripping of transformers, unattended local faults make matters worse
Discoms blame heat, high demand of power and the neighbouring States for overdrawal

NEW DELHI: From half past midnight to 11 on Saturday morning residents of Prasad Nagar in the Capital went without power. The reason was a local fault. Countless telephone calls and visits to the local BSES office were of no help.

"When the discom employee finally turned up for repair work at 8 a.m., he told us that we should be thankful that he came two hours before his shift officially begins. We spent the whole night without power and then we were asked to show gratitude that someone actually came two hours ahead of his schedule!" said Deven Kumar, a resident of Prasad Nagar.

Delhi's battle with the intense heat has been made worse by continuous power cuts. While the distribution companies continue to blame the heat, high demand and the neighbouring States for overdrawal, what has added to the residents' woes is the increasing frequency of local faults and the lack of staff to attend to them expeditiously.

"Every second day we hear that the transformer has tripped, the cables are burnt and the system is over loaded. Even when there is enough energy to draw, the local faults that remain unattended to for long ensure that we continue to suffer," complained Rinki Gosh, a resident of Malviya Nagar.

Echoing her views, Shanta Malik of Saket said: "On Tuesday when we went to report the local fault that had been unattended for far too long, we were shocked to see the entire staff had fled and there was no one to attend to our complaints."

Reacting to the complaints from consumers about the delay in fault rectification, an official of the Delhi Government's Power Department said: "There are guidelines that the discoms have to follow. The Delhi Electricity Supply Code and Performance Standards Regulations, 2007 clearly notes that discoms will have to pay the consumers if they fail to provide a particular service within the stipulated time frame. And rectifying local faults is a service that the discoms have to offer." The official said that the Department expressed concern in the past as well about the shortage of field staff. "It was brought to the Department's notice that the number of field staff is inadequate in some areas, which has affected the performance of the discoms and leaves consumers dissatisfied."

While the complaints against tardy services multiply, discoms claim that they have pulled out all stops to ensure speedy resolution of consumer grievances. "We have cancelled the leave of all stand-by staff and the field staff and the equipment have been put on high alert," said a spokesperson for NDPL.

Admitting that the frequency of local faults has increased, he said: "There is too much load on the system. The trippings have increased because of the overload and the sweltering heat contributes to the disruption in the system and faults in cables."

The Hindu, 28 June 09

And this at a time when some areas of Delhi are facing power cuts of up to 15 HOURS in ONE DAY !

New Delhi

BSES slipped in power procurement, say experts

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

'Instead of bailing out Delhi by purchasing power, the company has taken refuge behind low generation'

'Delhi's share from the hydro-power stations is a mere 10 per cent'
'The company has faltered in reserving power transmission lines'

NEW DELHI: Delayed monsoon and high demand for power in the entire North India are not the only reasons for Delhi being in the midst of an acute power crisis right now. Industry experts assert that power distribution company BSES that supplies power to two-thirds of the city has slipped in making arrangements for the summer.

While the company claims it has been "unlucky", given the delay in the monsoon that has adversely affected the hydro-power generation it was banking on, experts counter the argument citing transaction details that indicate the discoms made "little effort to secure power".

Based on reports from the power exchange, sources told The Hindu that the company instead of bailing out the city by purchasing expensive power has taken refuge behind the low generation of hydro-power and an otherwise high demand for power in the Northern Region.

"If you look at the records of the past few days, BSES has been selling power through the power exchange, but there is not a single transaction which indicates that the company bought any power," say sources.

From June 22 to June 27, the company has at different times sold 7.8 MW to as much as 50 MW of power through the exchange. "Purchasing power through the exchange at a time when the demand is high means shelling out a lot of money. Yesterday the closing rates at the power exchange were between Rs.12.50 and Rs.13, the company quoted far less, totally aware that when the demand is more the prices are obviously higher," sources say.

Experts also challenge the BSES claims that the low generation of hydro-power has affected the supply. "Delhi's share from the hydro-power stations is a mere 10 per cent. The Tehri and Chamera power plants are the only one that are generating less; the rest of the plants are performing as per their scheduled capacities. Also, the company has faltered in reserving power transmission lines, which means even if they had the power, they could not transfer it," explain sources.

Coerced into taking action after widespread protests over the rampant power cuts in the city, the Delhi Government has now directed the discoms to clean up their act. "BSES has been told that they have to procure 150 MW of power on a day-ahead basis from the power exchange no matter what the price. Also, they have to ensure that their complaint centres are manned and equipped with the correct and the latest information on the power situation and ensure that load-shedding, whenever required, is evenly carried out," say sources.

Reacting to charges that the company has failed to procure power by not having made bilateral tie-ups and not shelling out money to buy expensive power, a BSES official said: "The company had made all arrangements to procure 3,000 MW of power for its area as per the Government's assessment of the demand going up to 4,500 MW this year. It is plain bad luck that the monsoon crisis occurred."

"We had made banking arrangements with several States including Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra and Uttaranchal. Also, emergency arrangements for up to 350 MW with co-generation plants in Himachal Pradesh and Maithaon were made," he added.

He also denied that the company had not booked open access for transmission of power.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/28/stories/2009062857380400.htm

The Hindu, 28 June!