The Hindu Business Line : Maharashtra Govt, Oppn fail to reach consensus on power crisis issue

THE Maharashtra Government's attempt to arrive at a common ground with the Opposition parties over the mounting power crisis in the State has come to a nought with the latter continuing their aggrieved stand and agitation against the Government and the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) offices.

On Tuesday evening, the MSEB officials and the Maharashtra Energy Minister, Mr Dilip Valse-Patil, gave a two-hour presentation to Opposition party leaders. However, it failed to impress the Shiv Sena-BJP leadership.

They have decided to go ahead with their stir against load- shedding in Maharashtra.

Senior Shiv Sena and Opposition leader in the Legislative Assembly, Mr Narayan Rane, speaking to the press after the function said that the government gave a presentation about future power generation in the State. "Such presentations cannot solve the problem of power in the State. Load-shedding problem is immediate and urgent. Next year the State will have 10 per cent more load- shedding," Mr Rane said.

He also said that his party would continue with the agitation.

State BJP President and leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Mr Nitin Gadkari, on whose insistence the meeting was held, said that the proposed `rasta-roko' agitation of the BJP on May 30 would continue as per schedule.

During the presentation, Mr Gadkari suggested that the Government should look at alternate power sources such as nuclear energy and ethanol fuel to tide over the current power crisis.

The State has a daily power shortage of 3,000 MW and the situation will only change with the onset of the monsoon when the demand for power will reduce on account of lower power consumption by the agriculture pumps and domestic consumers. The State Government has already stopped giving free power to the farmers.

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