Saryu demands Tata Steel power supply in non-company areas of Jamshedpur 

Jamshedpur, April 28: Jamshedpur East MLA Saryu Roy has written to the principal secretary energy department for identical power supply in all settlements of Jamshedpur as per Tata lease agreement provisions.

“In the present times of power crisis, I would like to draw your attention to the relevant provision of the Tata Lease Agreement regarding power supply in Jamshedpur, about which I had also raised a question in the Eighth (Budget) session of the Legislative Assembly. I am enclosing a copy of my question and the answer given by the government. The answer to my question came in the House by the Government, but that day there was no debate on it in the House. As a result, my possible supplementary questions could not be resolved,” the letter informs.

The letter further informs that, “As per Tata Lease Agreement, all the houses in Jamshedpur have to be provided electricity connection by the company. But who to say about other settlements, the company has not yet provided electricity connections to the settlements under Tata Lease and the settlements that were excluded from Tata Lease in 2005.”

 It may be mentioned that the Tata Lease Agreement was signed in 1985 and was renewed in 2005. As a result of this, most of the settlements under Tata Lease, other settlements of Jamshedpur and company quarters and sublease areas have a two-way power supply system for a long time. Some areas are covered by the company’s electricity, while a large area is covered by the government’s electricity.

“This dual arrangement is not in accordance with the spirit of the Tata Lease Agreement. This is also not in the interest of the citizens of Jamshedpur. It is necessary to change it,” the letter states.

“The answer given by the government to my question in the assembly is disappointing. While giving this answer, the government has not taken care of the legality and seriousness of the subject matter. It may be noted that the government has given license to the company to supply electricity to Adityapur and other areas of Seraikela-Kharsanwa district. But in spite of giving power supply license in all the areas of Jamshedpur earlier, the company electricity is not being supplied in most of the habitations. The irony is that even the government is not sincere about this. It seems that in this matter the government is also speaking the language of the company,” the letter adds.

“I discussed this matter with you and told me that I was not satisfied with the Government’s answer to my question in the Legislative Assembly. During the current crisis of electricity, I think that if the power supply starts from the company in the areas covered by the lease agreement, then the government can give the electricity spent here in other places. Instead of going into detail about the background of the Tata Lease Agreement, I would like to submit only that the citizens of Jamshedpur have a statutory right on the Company’s electricity which is derived from the Tata Lease Agreement. They should get this right as soon as possible. Government has to take serious initiative in this regard,” the letter concludes.