Grid collapse: Heavy fines, jail for the guilty officials, says Power Minister Veerappa Moily

Power Minister Veerappa Moily has said that his ministry will take stern steps like heavy fines and even imprisonment to prevent states from overdrawing power from the grids.

Speaking to Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate, the minister gave assurances that the grid collapse that happened on two consecutive days in the end of July will not happen again.

Below is an edited transcript of the excerpt from the interview.

Speaking to Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate, the Power Minister said that steps like heavy fines and imprisonment will be taken to prevent states from overdrawing from grids.

Karan Thapar: If you are not prepared to cut off states that persistenly overdraw, will you take a second measure which may be easier and not so radical... that you will impose heavy fines on states that are overdrawing?

Veerappa Moily: That is true. That is what I am contemplating now.

Karan Thapar: Heavy fines?

Veerappa Moily: Heavy fines and you know to be very frank, there is also a provision to imprison authorities or the state chief secretary for disobeying it. Perhaps we need to enforce that.

Karan Thapar: So heavy fines as well as imprisonment... all the way to the state chief secretary.

Veerappa Moily: Ya, definitely. He is the person responsible. He has to control and regulate.

Karan Thapar: So you are prepared to exercise the whip if need be, but you are not going to cut out states and black them out.

Veerappa Moily: Ya, correct. Let us punish the persons who are responsible, not making the innocent citizens of that particular state suffer.

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