‘Maharashtra to be free of load-shedding by Dec 31’

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Sunday assured that the state would be free of power load-shedding by December 31.

"Difficulties are faced from certain fronts. There is scarcity of coal. The coal rates have gone up three times in the international market. Coal which we receive is wet as flood waters entered in it," Chavan said while talking reporters at his residence Varsha in south Mumbai. "The state will be freed of load-shedding by December 31, 2012," he assured. When the UPA government came in power the Dabhol power plant was started by spending Rs 12,000 crore on it. "1,400 mega watt capacity of Dabhol power plant cannot be used to its fullest as there is lack of gas supply," he said. He also said water from Jaikwadi was not supplied to Parli thermal power plant in the state, therefore, "I fear we will have to shut it down in the next 2-3 months." "The pending power projects will be completed. If there is shortfall of electricity, traded power would be taken. If people are ready to spend more for 24 hour electricity, traded power will be supplied as much as they want... But by hiking the power rates," he asserted. Earlier, former Deputy Chief Minister and state power minister Ajit Pawar had said the state would be free of load-shedding by December 12, 2012. PTI