Chennai, Oct 13:
DMK leader Senthil Balaji on Tuesday criticised the Tamil Nadu government over power cuts, accusing the Electricity Department of failing to ensure an uninterrupted supply.
He alleged corruption in the department and called on Electricity Minister Nirmal Kumar to take steps to increase power generation within the State and ensure a stable supply.
He urged the government to consult officials, consider their suggestions and make effective use of existing power distribution schemes. He also called for an end to purchasing electricity from the open market at ₹35 per unit, claiming that following the previous DMK government’s practices would help prevent power cuts in Tamil Nadu.
Questioning the functioning of Minnagam, the electricity complaint helpline, Senthil Balaji said it used to receive around 35,000 calls a day. He alleged that complaints were no longer being properly registered and pointed out that Minnagam was not even mentioned in the department’s policy note. He also questioned the government’s handling of complaints and the lack of details on the number received.