India continues to struggle with a lack of electricity. There are insufficient amounts of coal needed to fuel factories and light homes. Residents and workers are the first to recognize the very fundamental need for electricity.
The production of factories has been severely affected by frequent blackouts that cause production to slow or stop completely. R. Narasimha Murthy, owner of Sowmya Industries, has begun to refer to the blackout as “power holidays” because they occur so often.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Murthy. “Power is a basic need. Everything is dependent on power”, he added.
These reoccurring blackouts are partially a direct result of supply and demand. There has been a 3 percent increase within the last year. Several new power plants were constructed to try and solve the electricity problem. But there is simply not enough coal being supplied to be able to run these new plants.
More than half of the electricity in India is supplied by coal. With the rampage of outages occurring, one may find it hard to believe that the country is actually home to one of the richest supplies of coal in the world.
Coal India, is a state-owned company that controls roughly 80 percent of the production of coal in the country. Various political policies are responsible for making it somewhat difficult to spread the coal throughout the country at an affordable price.
Companies rely on coal to keep their businesses afloat. Business owners like Ashok M. Advani, executive chairman of Blue Star Air Conditioners, is frustrated by the political maze.
“There is virtually no new investment by both the government and private sector. We have such an uncertain environment.” said Advani.
Exactly what is the hold up within the parliament is unclear. Undoubtedly money is a major contributing factor.
The building of new homes and business has also come to a slow halt. V. Balashowry, a former member of Parliament for the governing Congress Party, is all too familiar of formalities.
He recently bought a great deal of land and wants to build a plant on it. However, unless Coal India agrees to give him fuel, no bank will give him the money.
“We have resources in India, but they aren’t able to do the proper thing,” said Balashowry.
The people of India will no longer have to suffer blackouts and lack of electricity if a reasonable and timely solution can be found. It won’t happen by itself; it will take a great deal of effort, but it will be well worth it.
Contributions to The New York Times
EDUCATE YOURSELF
COAL INDIA WIKIPEDIA
GOVERMENT OF INDIA – MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY