The Jharkhand High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the prolonged and unplanned power outages during festival celebrations in the state, specifically during the Sarhul festival on April 1, which saw significant disruptions across the state capital. The court’s action highlights growing concerns over the impact of such outages on the community’s daily life and festivities.
Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Deepak Roshan presided over the issue, initiating a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL), the primary utility responsible for electricity distribution in Jharkhand. The court strongly criticized JBVNL for the extensive power cuts that lasted from 1 pm to 11 pm during the festival, emphasizing the severe inconvenience caused to residents, including vulnerable groups such as the elderly, sick, children, pregnant women, and students preparing for exams.
The division bench expressed particular concern about the effects of these outages on local businesses, which faced forced closures and consequent revenue losses. Such disruptions, the court noted, not only inconvenience residents but also pose safety risks, disrupting emergency services and public safety measures during significant public gatherings and processions.
In response to these issues, the court has ordered JBVNL not to undertake long-duration power cuts unless absolutely necessary due to emergencies like extreme weather conditions. Additionally, the court issued directives to ensure that the organizers of processions and public events adhere to safety guidelines, specifically concerning the carrying of long poles for flags to prevent any power disruptions or accidents.
The bench has called upon the Advocate General and representatives from JBVNL to submit a detailed response to the court by April 9, outlining measures that will be implemented to prevent such occurrences in the future.
