Dewan Blasts Mann Govt: Punjab’s ‘power Surplus’ Claim Exposed As Ludhiana Reels Under Crippling Cuts

Former President of the District Congress Committee, Ludhiana (Urban) and Ex-Chairman of the Punjab Large Industrial Development Board, Pawan Dewan has launched a blistering attack on the Bhagwant Mann‑led AAP government over the worsening power crisis in Punjab, particularly in densely populated Ludhiana.

In a statement issued today, Dewan said it was “shameful” that with the onset of summer, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has begun imposing hour‑long power cuts even though the paddy season has not yet started.

Pointing out that PSPCL has officially announced scheduled power cuts across five major districts — Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Bathinda and Patiala — between April 21 and April 28, Dewan said, “According to the notice, residents will face daily outages lasting 8 to 10 hours, severely impacting households and daily life.”

Taking aim at the government’s repeated claims of Punjab being a “power surplus” state, Dewan questioned, “If Punjab has 14,500 MW available from various sources, why are power cuts being imposed, particularly in Ludhiana?” He pointed out that while the peak load touched 9,478 MW earlier this week, the demand during Tuesday afternoon hovered between 6,000 and 6,500 MW — far below the claimed capacity. “Then why is PSPCL resorting to cuts?” he asked.

Dewan further demanded that the AAP government should come clean on whether Punjab has diverted and sold surplus power in the open market merely to generate revenue, leaving domestic consumers to suffer in the heat

Highlighting the plight of ordinary citizens, Dewan said frequent and prolonged outages have left domestic consumers to suffer in the scorching heat, with temperatures soaring beyond 42°C. He stressed that the elderly and children are the worst affected, struggling to cope without electricity during the heat wave.

“Ludhiana, one of Punjab’s most densely populated districts, is reeling under these domestic power cuts. Families are unable to beat the heat and the government’s negligence has turned everyday life into a struggle,” Dewan charged.

Taking a direct dig at the Power Minister, Dewan said, “The Power Minister hails from Ludhiana and represents Ludhiana (West) as MLA, yet ironically, his own constituency is witnessing the maximum cuts.”

Expressing grave concern over the worsening situation, Dewan warned that if Punjab’s households are suffering so severely even before the paddy season, the crisis could spiral out of control once sowing begins in June. He demanded that the government ensure uninterrupted power supply so that people can find respite from the intense heat wave.

Dewan reminded that during the Congress regime, whenever shortages arose in peak summers, the government would purchase power on a short term basis rather than let citizens suffer. “This government must learn to prioritize people’s needs over hollow claims of surplus capacity,” he charged.