Power firm for Mysore region will be a help

A separate electricity supply company for the four districts of Mysore, Mandya, Hassan and Chamarajanagar, as proposed by the state government, may help speedy solution of electricity consumers' problems.

The Chamundeswari Electricity Supply Company (CESCOM), as proposed by the state cabinet, will be the fifth ESCOM in the State. Apart from MESCOM, having its corporate office in Mangalore, the three others are BESCOM with Bangalore as headquarters, HESCOM with Hubli as headquarters, and GESCOM having headquarters in Gulbarga.

Problems of one electricity supply company (ESCOM) may be different from another. For example, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) faces problems different from those of the other ESCOMs.

Similarly, the problems of utilities in the ghat sections vary from other areas. Hence, bifurcating MESCOM from the Mangalore region to form a separate ESCOM for the Mysore region can make it more consumer-friendly, authorities of the MESCOM here feel.

The concept that small companies are better managed may be the reason for the recent decision taken by the Karnataka cabinet to split the MESCOM to form a new company, CESCOM, with Mysore as headquarters, as ultimately the aim is to serve the consumers.

G.M. Nayak, Superintending Engineer, MESCOM, however clarified that "we have no official communication yet". Here he cited the recent bifurcation of Mysore division into two divisions, city and rural, as an example.

The major problem in the power sector is meeting demand. Demand can be met if there is adequate supply of power. With better management, the last summer had seen very little power cuts.

This was possible mainly because of interlinking of grids. The next season will be much better because most of the reservoirs in the state are fast filling up with good monsoon rains. This will help more power generation and better management of power supply and demand.