Centre cut state coal quota to help 3 other Bjp-run states: NCP

MUMBAI: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday alleged that Maharashtra’s quota for coal has been reduced by the Centre to help three pollbound Bhartiya Janata Party (Bjp)-ruled states — Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

This has allegedly been done to help reduce power cuts in the states, ahead of the polls. However, the move has affected the state’s power supply and hence, has started load-shedding since the past 10 days discreetly, alleged chief spokesperson of NCP, Nawab Malik.

“People in Maharashtra are facing load-shedding owing to three Bjp-ruled states that are going for Assembly polls next month. The Centre has reduced our quota of coal by half to increase their coal supply. The idea is help them overcome power cuts until elections. But all this is being done keeping our people on weightage,” said Malik.

The state BJP unit has denied the allegations. Admitting to the return of load-shedding, the party has attributed the same to a rise in power consumption owing to the heat wave.

In some areas in the state, people have been facing loadshedding for 11 to 12 hours a day. “If the state wants to start loadshedding, why not inform us in advance? Why were people kept in the dark? Why do people of the state have to face injustice for BJP’S political tactics,” Malik asked.

The claims have been made based on an internal document of the state energy department, he said.

Refuting the allegations in a statement of Thursday, Vishwas Pathak, BJP spokesperson, said, The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited took many measures after which power shortfall has come down to 500MW. The coal supplies have been increasing and soon, there will be no load-shedding.”