Delhi Minister Atishi Calls Power Outage "Extremely Worrying"

In the wake of widespread power outages across Delhi, Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi expressed deep concern and sought intervention from the Union Power Minister and the chairman of Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL).

The power outage, which began at 2:11 p.m., was attributed to a fire at a PGCIL sub-station in Mandola, Uttar Pradesh. Delhi relies on this sub-station for 1200 MW of power, leading to significant disruptions across the national capital. Atishi explained in a post on 'X', "There is a power outage in many parts of Delhi from 2:11 p.m. This is due to a fire at sub-station of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) in Mandola, UP. Delhi receives 1200 MW of power from the Mandola sub-station, and therefore many parts of Delhi have been affected. The power restoration process has begun and electricity is now gradually returning to different areas."

She added, "But this major failure in the national power grid is extremely worrying. I am seeking time with the Central Power Minister and the Chairman of PGCIL, to ensure that such a situation is not repeated."

Compounding the situation, Delhi is also grappling with a severe water crisis amid scorching heat and rising temperatures. Residents have been seen lining up around water tankers in various parts of the city. The Delhi government has attributed the water shortage to the Haryana government allegedly "blocking" its share of water.

Atishi stated that the AAP government would re-approach the Supreme Court for a resolution. Last week, the Supreme Court permitted Himachal Pradesh to release 137 cusecs of surplus water and directed Haryana to ensure the uninterrupted flow of this water from Hathnikund barrage to Wazirabad to alleviate Delhi's drinking water crisis.

Despite the court's directives, the water crisis persists. The Delhi government is continuing its legal efforts to secure additional water supplies, with Himachal Pradesh agreeing to provide its surplus water to aid Delhi during this critical time.

Also Read: Deadly Fire Erupts at Food Processing Unit in Delhi's Narela, Claiming 3 Lives