P K Mam
The monsoon has set in. This has brought succour to people from scorching heat. The worst occurrence of acute power shortage is on descending way. But, as always happens, we all shall forget now to raise voice for power and authorities too will get respite from responding to public anger who kept them on toes to know the result of strategies and slogans made towards bringing improvement in power scenario.   Anyway, the peak time of year 2014 is not an end of our journey. We expect this time Govt will actually work on to bring turnaround by providing quality power round the clock on the ground, lest our memory fades away due to season change.
Yet again, the peak summer of this year i.e. mid April to mid July14, speaks of an  unforgettable experience when consumers were hit for want of power supply in worst possible way and assurances for improvement of power made by authorities did   not show desired results.   The lives of consumers are made uncertain, confusing and  in sweltering heat wave due to non-availability of quality power because of non-functioning/ inadequate capacity /inability to carry out timely repairs of transformers and other recurring faults e.g single phase power line, hanging wires, non-relocation and replacement of sketchy or weak poles, non-installation of even sanctioned transformers, over packed or congested cables, unauthorised connections, power pilferage etc. Resultantly, the electricity became a  causality and load shedding was resorted to after every half an hour. The electricity played hide and seek game  in several colonies like never before. Even the damages caused to electronic gadgets were immense due to frequent voltage fluctuations.
But, what puzzles is that this has happened in spite of the assurances made that no power cut will be enforced and quality power will be made available to consumers for 100% metered houses. In addition, upgrading the loaded capacities of households voluntarily under VLDS scheme was also completed. Apart from it, the PDD has also enhanced the loaded capacity unilaterally in houses without considering norms wef Feb 14.
Further, there are instances of power supply being far better and round the clock, with no problem of fluctuation, low voltage etc. in some areas adjacent to many unfortunate colonies for reasons that residents of lucky ones are getting supply from stable receiving stations. e.g JANIPUR, GLADINI,  CANAL,   comparing to others . Thus, the different yard sticks adopted in power supply/ voltage of two adjacent areas is not only a cause of frustration but is also a violation of Right to Equality guaranteed under the constitution.
To quote instance, several residential colonies located in Talab Tiloo area like Shankar Vihar, Bharat Nagar, Poonch House etc , are dependent upon T3 feeder of TOP SHERKHANE RECEIVING STATION for power supply which is also source to industrial units/PHE/ other colonies(T2 T 4, T5 , T6) . Authorities are also  well aware that capacity of above T 3 feeder is not adequate to bear excessive power consumption  load but then     additional load of newly come up housing societies viz. Kamdheav and Chowdhry  as also  newly constructed   houses in and around  nearby areas  are  connected to T3 Feeder. There is, therefore, a dire need to increase the capacity of T3 feeder by augmenting capacity of already existing second transformer from 6.3 MVA to 10 MVA in the instant case.
Last but not the least, under Re-structure/ Reform measure, the completion of task of transmission and distribution of power, was entrusted to a reputed private agency about 3 years back, with sole purpose of streamlining existing faulty power distribution system. This measure could have definitely brought much relief to genuine consumers by now.   Regrettably, it   has failed to make desired headway reportedly for reasons of vote bank politics due to forthcoming assembly elections. The politicians should know that such populist gestures do not work anymore. These lacunae were brought to notice of powers that be by way of editorials, articles, other columns time and again in order to ameliorate the power woes of consumers.
It is hoped that authorities will make use of present   interim time genuinely by displaying sense of urgency for well being of people. Better late than never!.

Malladi Rama Rao
At long last India is going to pay attention to development of infrastructure along the border with China. A massive road network and robust telecommunication facilities are planned that will benefit the security forces and local people alike.
Border belt in North-east India especially along Arunachal Pradesh remains inaccessible during the monsoon in particular.   Of the 73 all-weather roads that were identified for construction in 2006, just 18 have been completed so far. Most of the road network on the Indian side stops well short of the border unlike on the Chinese side.
Moreover, there is very little progress in laying as many as 14 strategic railway lines near the border whereas China is extending its Golmud-Lhasa railway line to Yatung, a trading center very close to Nathu La. Plans are firmed up to extend the line up to Nyingchi, a trading town north of Arunachal Pradesh.
Addressing this development deficit marks the abandonment of the policy of “benign neglect” of the north Himalayan borders. In a limited sense the new policy is a result of the 21-day stand-off in Daulat Beg Oldi sector that ended on May 5, 2013. And it is based on the accepted principle that each country has a right to build border infrastructure in its land.
Given the nature of the terrain, intrusions are accidents that can be expected any time, and therefore should not be cause for undue alarm, generally speaking. There were nearly 600 intrusions by Chinese troops within the course of one year all along the Line of Actual Control.
Some incursions had occurred in close proximity to visits by Indian political and military figures to China, like for instance, the intrusion into the Panggong Lake in Ladakh in June when Vice President Hamid Ansari was making the first visit by an Indian Vice President in two decades. Another one occurred in Demchok segment of Ladakh sector when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was attending the BRICS summit in Brazil on 16th July.
Were these accidents or attempts to portray India as a “paper tiger” before the eyes of its neighbours – both near and far away? It is difficult to get a categorical yes or no and it will remain one of those diplomatic grey areas because at the political level Beijing is keen to develop close relations with India.
The Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi came to Delhi as special envoy of President Xi Jinping, soon after the new Government assumed office in May.  His discussions with Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj primarily focused on economic and trade matters and sidelined contentious political issues almost entirely. Wang pledged to work towards resolving the border disputes between the two countries.
Chinese President Xi Jinping met Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. Scoring over the US, which is bending back to cultivate the new Indian leadership, he invited Modi to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in November. India has never attended an APEC summit; it has lobbied for decades to become a member of the 21-nation grouping without success.  Jinping also asked India to deepen its involvement with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which represents Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan besides China.
Indian premier is not new to China and its leadership. Modi had visited China as the Gujarat chief minister. So, it is no surprise that Modi- Jinping meeting exuded warmth. The contentious border issue and trade imbalance figured in the 80-minute long meeting.
As pointed out at the outset, each country has a right to develop its territory close to the border. Push to development in a calibrated manner will encourage locals to relocate close to the border making the area pulsate with activity giving up the present day desolate look.  And all this will make the talk that no blade of grass grows in the Ladakh border a talk of the past.
Better infrastructure will enhance operational capability of the Indian Army. Already several plans are afoot to raise, for instance, six new armoured regiments, and three mechanised infantry battalions.
While the Government is yet to fully unveil its infrastructure programme for the border belt, it will be worth the while to construct new helipads, and refurbish old helipads and other landing sites.  These can double up as football grounds as well.
All this will lead to constant presence at, near and along the border. It will deny the Chinese any opportunity to make the kind of deep penetration they did once in Depsang. Also not to let a repeat of 1967 when Chinese used force, though unsuccessfully, to redraw the Line of Actual Control at Nathu La!
(Syndicate Features)