Centre must ensure coal availability with power plants: Chattisgarhgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel

Raipur: With the nation reeling under power crisis across the country, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that the Government of India should ensure the availability of sufficient amounts of coal with the power plants in the country.

"It is the responsibility of the Government of India to make sure that a sufficient amount of coal is being supplied to the power plants and industries across the country, Baghel told media persons on Friday, before heading for Delhi.

Baghel is likely to attend a programme at the national capital's Vigyan Bhawan on Saturday, wherein various dignitaries including the President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Ministers of various states, and Chief Justices of India will be present.

As per the statement of the Ministry of Power, the country is facing a huge power crisis wherein the peak power demand for electricity touched an all-time high of 2,07,111 MW on Friday.

According to the ministry, the demand for power has risen in April due to the extreme heat wave and people in different parts of the country are facing power cuts. The problem has been accentuated by a steep rise in prices of imported coal due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the non-operation of some power plants to their full capacity.

Jharkhand, Haryana, Bihar, Punjab, and Maharashtra are among the states that are regularly seeing power outages.

On the other hand, Delhi had written to the Centre over the possibility of power cuts to important establishments. Other states and Union Territories are also taking steps to handle the situation.