Doctors organise rally to protest load shedding

Hundreds of doctors took to the streets on Thursday to protest against the load-shedding by the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB).

The state is currently reeling under a power crisis with MSEB resorting to load shedding as demand has exceeded power supply. The doctors alleged that power cuts were making it difficult for them to discharge their duties properly.

"The erratic power supply is making medical treatment more expensive for patients. We have to wait for power to operate on patients," the doctors said.

The protest was organised under the banner of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Seventy-two-years old Dr S M. Thakre, who participated in the two kilometre protest march, said that he was disappointed with the power management in the state.

"Costs are rising. Doctors have to install generators to overcome the power crisis. Medical treatment is bound to become more expensive and the poor will suffer," he said.

President of IMA's local unit, Dr Kishor Taori, said, "Why should wasteful usage of power be allowed," he posed.

Dr Taori later handed over a memorandum of demands to the district collector Lokesh Chandra. The protest march also had three street plays, the subject of which was the inability of the state government to tide over the energy crisis.

The doctors also suggested stemming transmission and distribution losses to deal with the power crisis and blamed the government for inefficiently handling the problem.

"Why can't the government stem transmission and distribution losses? All it needs is a firm hand," they said. Several doctors demanded that the government find a solution to the mess "of its own creation".

The rally was supported by Rashtrasant Tukdoji Cancer Hospital, Shree Ayurvedic College, the Chemist and Druggists Association, the Medical Representatives Association, and Homoeopathy College, among other organisations.