‘No need to panic’: Bengaluru's BESCOM assures industries amid electricity shortage

In the midst of a power crisis in Karnataka, Bengaluru's BESCOM assured industrial bodies that they will provide uninterrupted power to carry out activities.

The Bengaluru power supply company, BESCOM, on Tuesday asked industry representatives not to panic amid an ongoing electricity shortage in the state and assured uninterrupted power to them after they raised concerns that industrial activities will be affected.

industry representatives had expressed concerns that manufacturing, production and industrial activities will likely be affected in the midst of the ongoing power crisis in Karnataka. (HT FILE PHOTO)

Gaurav Gupta, the Additional Chief Secretary of Energy Department, issued a statement that he held a virtual conference with industry representatives and assured uninterrupted power for industrial works. This covers industries under the BESCOM's jurisdiction.

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"Assurance has been given to industrial bodies that uninterrupted power will be provided for industrial activities and no need to panic in this regard," the statement stated, news agency PTI reported.

Karnataka is battling a severe shortage in electricity production in the backdrop of rainfall deficit and drought in several districts. Moreover, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently admitted that power consumption in the state has gone up from 10,000 MW to 16,000 MW in October. This is because farmers are using more electricity for their pump sets in the absence of adequate rain this year, he said.

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In this light, when industrial bodies expressed concerns that manufacturing, production and industrial activities will likely be affected, Gupta along with Mahantesh Bilagi, the Managing Director of BESCOM, assured industrial bodies that there is no need to panic as they have made arrangements to provide uninterrupted power supply to all industrial areas in their jurisdiction.

The BESCOM along with the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL), have meanwhile scheduled outages and disruptions in several areas of Bengaluru this week to carry out maintenance projects and impending works. Some of these areas include RPC Layout, Nethaji Layout, Attiguppe, Golarahatti, Kuntegowdanahally, Yaladabagi, Havinahalu, Kataveeranahally, Navaneboranahally, Ajjaiahnapalya, Lh Palya, Borasandra, Thippanahally, Byadarahally, Dasarahalli, Venkatapura, Saluparahalli, Seebi Agrahara, Doddaseebi, Durgadahalli, Thippanahalli, Borasandra, Kallashettihalli, Yaththappanahatti, Kalajjiroppa, Sibaianapalya, Basarihalli, Hunjanal and Byadarahalli.