On April 3, Prime Minister Modi implored all citizens to turn off all lights in their homes on April 5, for 9 minutes at 9 PM, and stand in their windows, balconies our door steps with diyas, candles or cell-phone lights, to fight the darkness amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. While the PM’s campaign is purportedly in a bid to help people find some cheer amidst the lockdown, concerns are being raised about the impact this would have on the state and national power grids.

Maharashtra Power Minister said, “The sudden shutdown could impact the generation-supply equation. We cannot ignore the possibility of state and central power grids getting impacted when everyone switches off lights together.” Explaining the fall in demand he said, “As it is the power demand has gone down from 23,000 MW to 13,000 MW. Industrial demand is down to zero. When all domestic consumers shut off their lights all at once, the grid could fail and all power stations could trip, plunging the entire state into darkness.” He said that Maharashtra has traditionally had a high demand for power and a grid failure here could have a cascading effect. “This could lead to a multi-state grid failure and the entire country could go dark. This would also adversely impact essential services and especially hospitals. It takes 16 hours to get one power station to start working again. Therefore, I would request citizens to consider this carefully and cooperate with us,” said Raut.

But things in neighbouring Karnataka appear to be different. A Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL) official told Deccan Herald, “The average load during the evening in Karnataka is 7,000 to 8,000 MW. Turning off the lights will lead to a drop of about 800 MW, which is manageable if other utilities and street lights continue to draw power. Turning off everything may lead to complications.”

It is vital to note that the PM’s idea has to do with just turning off lights, and not all appliances. Refrigerators, air conditioners and other appliances can be kept running. It is also important to not fall for viral whatsapp forwards that make dire predictions about the impact of the fall in demand. The KPCL has itself shot down a viral forward purportedly by an electrical engineer that warns of a grid collapse as it is already allegedly functioning at 40 per cent of its capacity.

Meanwhile, the state-run Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO) is already making all necessary arrangements as this will be a planned blackout. An official told News18, that all five regional load dispatch centers and national load dispatch center have been have been informed to ensure grid frequency is maintained even if power demand drops suddenly during this blackout.

Economic times quoted a government spokesperson as saying, “Union Power Minister has discussed the issue (sudden fall in demand during April 5 blackout) with PGCIL (PowerGrid) and Load dispatcher in today’s meeting. They are upto the task and are confident of managing the grid stability for the event.”

Ever since the lockdown, power demand has dropped owing to non-operation of industrial units who are major power guzzlers. Live Mint reports that India has a baseload power demand of roughly 160 gigawatts (GW), that is 160,000 megawatts (MW). The report also says that during this 9-minute lights out initiative, about 10,000-12,000 MW of power demand is expected to vanish, according to estimates by power industry experts. An official from the Ministry of Power told Live Mint that A recent example of major shifts in power demand over a short timeframe was on Janta Curfew of 22 March, when national power demand fell to 135GW, down 26GW from the 161GW demand on the previous day (21 March). That’s a difference of 26,000 MW handled successfully over a 24-hour period.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Power has issued a circular to Chief Secretaries of all states assuring that adequate measures are being taken to ensure that the power grids are not affected during the blackout. The circular may be viewed here:

Related:

Light a diya, manifest collective superpower, boost morale: PM Modi

The post 9 PM for 9 minutes: When the lights of India go out appeared first on SabrangIndia.

“… You had the grace to hold yourself

While those around you crawled

They crawled out of the woodwork

And they whispered into your brain

They set you on the treadmill

And they made you change your name…” 

‘Candle In The Wind’  would have made for a fun soundtrack playing softly in the background to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 9 AM address to the nation on Friday April 4. Of course the lyrics will have to be slightly modified (no pun intended here). 

Those who are privileged enough to have a hearty breakfast stopped and turned their televisions on in time. Not for the Ramayana re-run, this time it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself telling us what to do with all the free time on Sunday, when we do not even have to work from home. “Urge everyone to switch off all lights of the house on 5th April at 9 PM for 9 minutes and only light a candle, diya, as a mark of every Indian’s fight against Coronavirus,” he said in a calm voice. A million sighs must have been exhaled across the country, for many reasons. Some were glad no further curfew restrictions were announced on day nine of the nationwide lockdown as the Coronavirus pandemic.

“I am happy he did not announce anything to make us crowd the shops again,” said a resident of a middle income colony. “I do not have candles, I have my pooja lamps. I will light that,” said a senior citizen. Both were not sure how lighting candles as suggested by the PM will help but they knew it would do no harm. “It is like diwali, will lighten the mood and lift our spirits,” said a housewife, whose young children were looking forward to the Sunday celebration. She did not say if the family was planning to rustle up a celebratory meal too.

Of course the critics there too. Asking, once again, questions about more masks and other protective gear for doctors, when they should have been happy the PM noted the “discipline and spirit of service” displayed till now. In particular, the PM noted the mass celebration of Sunday 22nd March, when on his orders thousands gathered in large numbers, in their balconies, and crowds came together on the streets clapping, banging metal plates, and blowing conch shells to express their thanks and respects to those fighting the Coronavirus pandemic on the frontline.  The unique Indian style appreciation has become an example for all countries. “Many are replicating it now,” said the PM, adding “Whether it is people’s curfew, ringing bells, clapping hands or clanging plates;they have all made the nation realize its collective strength in these testing times.”

For this Sunday, the PM has offered a fix for cabin fever, or the feeling of  irritability and restlessness, that is a natural side effect of being cooped up indoors for a long time. 

“Friends, today, when crores of people of this country are confined to their homes, it will be natural for anyone to question what they can do just by themselves,” he said adding that we should not feel isolated or alone at such times. “

He said we Indians should take time out this Sunday and experience our “collective superpower manifesting itself in the form of the people.” This experience he explained will “boosts our morale, gives us direction and clarity, a common aim as well as the energy to pursue the same.”

So at 9 pm on Sunday April 5, the PM suggested that we must “awaken the superpower of 130 crore Indians” this is to be done for 9 minutes. 

His instructions are simple: “On April 5, at 9 PM, turn off all the lights in your homes, stand at your doors or in you balconies, and light candles or diyas, torches or mobile flashlights for 9 minutes.I repeat, light candles or diyas, torches or mobile flashlights, for 9 minutes at 9 PM on April 5.”

Thankfully he made it clear that he does not want any gatherings or assemblies to manifest. “Please do not go out on the roads, lanes or your localities, do it at the doorstep or balconies of your own homes. One must never cross the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ of Social Distancing. Social Distancing should not be breached under any circumstances.This is the only panacea to break the chain of Coronavirus.” 

There were words like “Ma Bharati, Jagran, Urja’ sprinkled liberally throughout the speech illustrating the deification of the nation as the mother goddess, energy, devotion etc.

He ended with the Sanskrit verse, “Utsaho Balwaan Arya, Na Asti Utsaah Param Balam | Sah Utsahasaya Lokeshu, Na Kinchit Api Durlabham ||” the transcript uploaded on his official website, explained that it meant, “There is no greater force in the world than our passion and our spirit. That there is nothing in the world that we cannot achieve on the basis of this strength. Come, let us come together and jointly defeat this Coronavirus, and make India victorious.” 

Of course the cheerleaders were ready with praise, “The light indicates that there is a ray of hope at the end of the dark tunnel. @narendramodi trying to unite the country and create a sense of shared purpose. Significant subliminal messaging at play.’ Paraphrasing leading psychologists Dr Harish Shetty & Dr Sandeep Vohra.” reported  television journalist Rahul Kanwal. 

Lawyer and rights activist Vrinda Grover was among those who questioned the PM’s suggestion and said, “I’m a citizen of the Republic of India, not a clown to perform to the tune of the ringmaster! She wanted to know details of actual steps taken by the government to combat the Coronavirus pandemic, “Knowledge and information creates light and spreads ‘prakash’!”

While both the gushing  praise from the faithful, and the acerbic comments from the critics, are on expected lines, it is the pseudoscience interpretations that are mind boggling. Case in point was physician and cardiologist Dr KK Aggarwal who was once the national president of Indian Medical Association (IMA) and is now president of the Heart Care Foundation of India.

With his trademark stethoscope around his neck, Dr Aggarwal posted a video explaining the logic behind the PMs latest placebo: It is explained in “yoga vashishta chapter 6 principle of collective consciousness. 5 percent will think 95 will do” said the doctor and went on to share how this ‘collective consciousness’ had the ‘power to heal’ when channelised by some ‘receptors’ in the human body. 

He is a real doctor. He even wore a stethoscope remember? He was retweeted by some official channel and promptly deleted soon after when flagged by journalist Vidya Krishnan who writes on health and has covered the Covid-19 pandemic and the response to it extensively. “No words. Indian Medical Association, instead of supporting resident doctors /nurses in their demand for safety gear, is promoting some mumbo jumbo religious ritual”

No words.

Indian Medical Association, instead of supporting resident doctors /nurses in their demand for safety gear, is promoting some mumbo jumbo religious ritual. https://t.co/6SOvanyUlj

— Vidya (@VidyaKrishnan) April 3, 2020

The video was shared by researcher Srinivas Kodali who’s bio says he works on data, governance and the internet. It can be seen here:

I got you all covered. Let the collective stupidity burn. pic.twitter.com/DKGwuXlN0d

— Srinivas Kodali (@digitaldutta) April 3, 2020

However, both cheerleaders, and critics of such messaging by a political leader are right in noting how the masses are most likely to obey this command as well. Lakhs will light those diyas and candles, some may even burst firecrackers left over from the real festive season.

Not sure if the teeming masses in makeshift shelters, queueing up for their next meal, have had the chance to see TV yet. Maybe some true patriots can make sure lakhs of candles and diyas are donated here so they too can be a part of the festivities on Sunday. Too bad candles, and diyas are not edible.

The post Light a diya, manifest collective superpower, boost morale: PM Modi appeared first on SabrangIndia.