Amid the intense summer heat, load shedding of electricity has brought stagnation to public life in Barishal. Especially people in rural areas are suffering greatly from the sweltering heat due to load shedding.
At the same time, farmers are worried as they are unable to provide proper irrigation in the ongoing Boro season due to shortages of electricity and diesel. In addition, business activities have also slowed down.
The West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDCL) supplies electricity to the six district headquarters of Barishal division. Under this organisation, there are nearly 500,000 subscribers in six district towns. Among them, more than 150,000 subscribers are in Barishal city.
On the other hand, electricity is supplied at the upazila headquarters and union levels by the Palli Bidyut Samity (PBS). Under the five PBSs in the division, there are about 2.17 million consumers.
According to sources at the Barishal national grid substation, the daily electricity demand in the districts of Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Jhalokathi, Barguna, and Pirojpur is 550 to 600 megawatts, while about 400 megawatts are being supplied.
Executive Engineer of the Power Grid substation Barishal, Md Aktaruzzaman Palash, told Prothom Alo yesterday, Sunday “Currently, we are receiving 25 per cent less electricity than our demand. Therefore, it is being adjusted through load shedding.”
There are two distribution divisions of WZPDCL in Barishal city. Among them, in Distribution Division-1, the daily electricity demand is 50 to 61 megawatts. On 14 April, the demand was 61 megawatts, while the supply was 40 megawatts. The same situation prevailed on the following day. On 18 April, the demand was 54 megawatts, while 48 megawatts were supplied.
Deputy Assistant Engineer of Distribution Division-1, Dipak Chandra Mistry, said that the frequency of load shedding during day and night depends on the amount of electricity available against the demand.
The daily demand of Distribution Division-2 is about 40 megawatts. On Thursday, the supply there was 20 megawatts. On Friday, there was no deficit against a demand of 30 megawatts, but on Saturday, against a demand of 35 megawatts, only 25 megawatts were supplied.
Executive Engineer of Distribution Division-2, Md. Manjurul Islam, told Prothom Alo, “For the past 10–12 days, we have been receiving less electricity than required. So we have to adjust through load shedding.”
Boro farmers worried due to irrigation crisis
“While going to get diesel, I cannot find it, and to irrigate using an electric motor, I am not getting electricity either. So this time, far from making a profit in Boro cultivation, we will have to incur heavy losses. I don’t know how we will survive.” Boro farmer Masud Sardar from Barthi area of Gournadi in Barishal expressed this concern.
Speaking yesterday afternoon, Masud Sardar said that this is the time when rice plants produce panicles. At this stage, extensive irrigation is required. But due to not being able to provide the necessary irrigation, uncertainty has arisen regarding the yield.
Farmer Gias Uddin has cultivated Boro on about 10 acres of land in the Kashipur area of Barishal. He said that the paddy in the early-cultivated land has started to ripen, but in the late-cultivated land, due to lack of irrigation, the paddy is not developing properly.
A field-level agricultural officer said that the Boro fields require the most irrigation when the panicle emerges from the stem. At that time, it is necessary to have four to six inches of water in the field. Otherwise, production may decrease significantly.