Ensure Uninterrupted Power Supply To Hospitals: Meghalaya High Court To State

The Meghalaya High Court has directed the State government to ensure that hospitals and like institutions are exempted from power cuts.

"The most elementary thing that must be ensured is the uninterrupted supply of power to such places as power is essential in running machines for patients on life support and, possibly, supply of oxygen," a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W. Diengdoh said while hearing a PIL relating to erratic power cuts in the State.

Electricity is not a luxury, the bench had said last month while directing the State to ensure adequate availability of electricity as per demand.

While the State assured that the condition has improved, the bench directed the State to ensure that even in the future if a need arises to restrict the continuous supply of power on account of any shortfall, the hospitals and like institutions are exempted from such cuts.

The petitioner in this case also invited the Court's attention to "arbitrary" load-shedding schedule. He said no rationale is provided by the State in their affidavit regarding the varying duration of power cuts in different areas.

The State explained that recent rainfall had led to a significant rise in the water levels, thereby allowing for increased power generation. Additionally, the State has been procuring power from the National Thermal Power Corporation since the beginning of June 2023 and in an effort to augment the supply further, the State is also exploring the possibility of purchasing power from the open grid, the state counsel submitted.

The State has been instructed to file a status report by July 5.

Case Title: Flaming B. Marak vs State of Meghalaya & ors

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