<b>Letters:</b> Keeping the lights on

Apropos Ashok Basu's article "Memo to the next regime: Turn on the lights" (May 1), it is distressing to note that nearly 20 per cent of Indian villages do not have electricity. The unavailability of electricity is one of the prime reasons for the closure of many industrial units and small-scale industries. If India has to generate employment opportunities for its growing youth population, the new government has to improve the supply of electricity to the backward areas of the nation. It is pathetic to see tribal areas and small villages without electricity for years, while India is boasting of becoming a superpower in the near future. Uninterrupted supply of electricity is a must for any country's economic progress. Also, providing electricity at subsidised rates will give a fillip to small-scale and cottage industries in rural areas, which will prevent the rural workforce from migrating to cities. Thus, many problems related to urbanisation can also be solved.

However, one aspect of electricity supply that is usually not covered by any of the writers is saving and preventing the wastage of electricity. People need to be informed about the various methods of saving electricity, which will enable us to divert the extra supply to areas that need it more.

Veena Shenoy Thane

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