TN POWER CRISIS - A SOLUTION

 TN POWER CRISIS – A SOLUTION

"Sattam Oru Tamilnadu" states a Facebook comment – which in the current (no pun intented) context means "Sattam Oru Iruttarai – a dark room". I also come across cartoons and hot discussions on leading weekly magazines,  on the sorry state of the 'current affairs' in Tamil Nadu.

Is the government alone responsible for this shortage of 4000 MW? What is the responsibility of the people? This leading magazine which criticizes the government – also runs 5 or 6 Tamil TV Channels which consume enormous power during peak hours.

Why can't the private channels transmit only from 12 noon to 6 pm and keep away from the peak demand period of 6 ~ 10 pm. Presently, 1 crore television sets and another 1 crore free television sets are available in Tamil Nadu. These 2 crore television sets consune about 2000 MW of power during peak hour.

With free Televison available, now most of the households have 2 televisions – one at the drawing room in which tear-jerkers and illicit-affair serials rule roost, and another TV set where the kids watch a poorly dubbed cartoon show or an 'all-day' cricket match. While this '2 TV startegy' is sucking out power from the grid, it also splits the family from being together.

Also, the Indian government runs 70 television stations in Tamil Nadu , nearly 15 of them being High Power transmitters (HPTs) which consume around 300 MW of power. In order to aid private channels, the government channels – DD National & DD News mercilessly transmit Hindi programmes all day through. Only in this country will you find this irony – In Chennai city, 2 nos. of 300KW transmitters transmit DD National & DD News (Hindi programmes on Channel 4 & Channel 6 respectively) , and 1 no. of a 50KW transmitter transmits DD Podhigai (Tamil programmes on Channel 8).

Tamil programmes are transmitted at low power so that it does not reach beyond Tambaram. Content-wise, DD Podhigai has removed all entertainment programmes – you get only Carnatic music, Devotional music, Light songs and Sports quiz which does not excit the common man.. But still the state televison does not want to take a chance of some villagers in a remote place watching its programmes - and hence keeps its transmission range absymally low.

Public-private partnership (!!!) has ruined Indian Television - and despite consuming 300KW of power , less than 5% of TN people watch DD Podhigai. All the Hindi transmissions from morning 5 am to 3 pm  go with zero viewership on DD National, and the entire 18 hours of Hindi / English news transmission of DD News (most of them repeat telecasts) is also at zero viewership. What a waste of public money and energy!

The TN government must swing into action -

1)      Ban private television channels' transmission from 6 ~ 10 pm. Only DD Podhigai can operate terrestrially during this time. Let us go back to Kanmanipoonga, Vayalum Vaazhvum and Oliyum Oliyum. This will also result in revenues for the cash-strapped Doordarshan.

2)      Make the 2^nd TV set taxable. With set-top boxes, you can trace if the house has a 2^nd TV and let them pay 30% increased electrical tariff. Remove subsidized gas cylinders and ration items for families with 2 TV sets.

3)      Limit the number of TV channels to not more than 10 in any given language. The Indian governmrnt provides tax rebates to TV channels if they have more than 1 channel in the same name ( like Son TV, Son Music, etc). Oh! What a concern by the government on the poor TV channel owners.

            When China - with  a 130 crore population can thrive on 12 channels, why does the 7 crore      population in TN needs 50 channels. Here, a channel which starts single – like a Lion TV             and then goes in multiples like - Pig Music, Pig Movies, Pig News, Pig Comedy, Pig           Cartoons, etc ...........so many channels to get spoilt from.

These measures will definitely result in saving 1000MW power during peak hour – which can be used for the power-starved grid.

Recently, TN Chief Minister has launched many projects of automotive and electronics manufacturing hubs worth Rs.20,000 crore. More employment, more purchasing power, more gadgets and obviously more power consumption by the people. Not only by the people, who work and earn in these organizations but also by these industries who require un-restricted  power supply.

We need power to

-        light the streets to make them accident free

-        irrigate the paddy fields in villages

-        light the homes, so that kids can study well

-        run fans so that people can sleep peacefully

Till then, we may have to forego the luxury of a "100 channel Television" which is also an intrusion into our family activities. We grew up hearing Thenkinnam , Isai Malar & Vannachudar in Vividbharati or listening to Thenaruvi , Kudumba Viruppam & Iravin Madiyil in Ilangai Vaanoli – playing , eating and chatting together with family and friends. A radio consumes lesser power and does not require unhindered attention like television.

Let us go back 30 years – till the power scenario is set right. There is no use in blaming the government when everybody wants to lead a life of luxury and never willing to give up additional pleasures.

The next time when Sakatan comes up with a funny cartoon of the CM holding a candle – let them retrospect their TV channels which churns out entertainment one after another – earning Rs.50,000 per 10 second slot. Let us do our bit to save energy than pointing fingers at others.

When in dark, its better to light a candle than crying foul.