NEW DELHI: If soothing agarbattis have been overpowered by ghastly generator fumes at your puja pandal, take heart. Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit has asked private power firms to provide temporary connections for public functions and curb use of generators.
Dikshit said the use of small generator sets should be discouraged as they cause noise and air pollution. She has asked the chief secretary to issue a directive that generators be used only as a stand-by arrangement.
Every year, Delhi plays host to hundreds of puja pandals as Ram Lilas and Durga Pujas continue in full swing. Some of the main puja pandals take connections. Others tap main lines or simply turn to thundering generators. "It is impossible to enjoy puja with generators drowning the music and spoiling the ambience," Anahita, a south Delhi resident said.
Is getting a temporary connection a long-winded process? No, say power companies. "We have already provided 112 connections for Ram Lila. It is at weddings and such functions that generators are used," Anil Sardana, NDPL CEO said.
