Meanwhile, Jharkhand lives by the lantern

As the sale of fireworks picks up near Diwali, shopkeepers across the state have been forced to do their business in the light of lanterns due to frequent power cuts.

The state’s three power generating units —- Patratu Thermal Power Station (PTPS), Tenughat Vidyut Nigam Limited (TVNL) and Sikidri —- with a capacity of 1250 MW, produce 450 MW against a total demand of 1200 MW. While earlier the deficit could be met by purchasing power from National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), now the state is struggling to make up for the shortfall.

This despite an expenditure of over Rs 1,500 crore to increase the output of the plants, according to the Comptroller and Accountant General’s report, 2006.