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News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
India Thwarted 2 Lakh Pakistani Cyber Attacks On Power Infra During Op Sindoor, Says Khattar
Last Updated: Khattar He pointed out India's strong hydropower potential in J&K, particularly on the Chenab and Jhelum rivers, and said the govt is actively exploring new projects in the region India thwarted 2 lakh cyber attacks by Pakistan on the nation's power infrastructure during Operation Sindoor, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Thursday. 'We saw what happened during Operation Sindoor — our power infrastructure was targeted. Around two lakh cyber attacks were attempted, but we successfully foiled them all," said Khattar, who holds the Union Power Ministry portfolio. In Operation Sindoor, India carried out precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK on May 7, two weeks after the deadly Pahalgam attack, where 26 people lost their lives. Pakistan retaliated by launching drones and missiles that were shot down by India's air defence system. The conflict went on three days in which India inflicted heavy damage to Pakistan military installations and airbases until the ceasefire was announced on May 10. Highlighting that India has kept the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, the minister said Pakistan will feel the impact of this move. He pointed out India's strong hydropower potential in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly on the Chenab and Jhelum rivers, and said the government is actively exploring new hydroelectric projects in the region. When asked about Pakistan's objections to new hydropower projects, Khattar said, 'Let Pakistan do whatever it wants — we have already responded to them. Earlier, we had left the Wullar project due to their objections. Now, we will restart that project and issue a Detailed Project Report (DPR) soon." He also remarked that Article 370 had long acted as a barrier to the region's development, and praised Prime Minister Modi for working hard to bring progress across various sectors in Jammu and Kashmir. First Published: June 12, 2025, 13:47 IST
Time of India
21-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Frequent power outages cause trouble for Panchkula residents during summer
1 2 Panchkula: Although the Union Power Ministry maintains that consumers have a right to uninterrupted 24x7 power supply, frequent outages and breakdowns are the order of the day in Panchkula, especially during the summer months. The Centre also asserts that if a distribution company engages in wilful load shedding, consumers have the right to claim compensation. Yet, despite these guidelines, Panchkula residents continue to bear the brunt of frequent power cuts . Residents told TOI that every summer brings frequent power outages, making life difficult in the scorching heat, with temperatures hovering above 40 degrees Celsius. SK Aggarwal, a resident of Sector 4, lamented, "There are power cuts in Sector 4, our area, but they are unscheduled. As per IER rules, there can't be unscheduled power cuts. Moreover, the maintenance is very poor. During rains or storms, electricity goes out because of more sag of conductors, and wet tree branches touch conductors, causing short circuits. I doubt if the silica gel of transformers is checked regularly. As per rules, the electrical inspector is supposed to inspect all electric installations, including the distribution system. There should be no trees under overhead conductors." Another resident, Megha Bansal, rued, "Sector 18 and Sector 7 both face too many power cuts. Every week, there is a 2-4 hour shutdown. Still, every day, at least one or two times, power is switched off. We have a group from the electricity dept, and they update us about shutdowns in advance and tell us why the power has been switched off. But why is power being cut so frequently?" Solution Box forum founder Mohit Gupta, a resident of Sector 25, said, "It is frequent cuts and a frequent failure of the distribution system. An under-maintained and heavily overloaded system gives way in the wake of peak demand in the summers. UHBVNL is not even trying to work out a planned maintenance system; just firefighting is being done." PP Wahi, retired chief engineer, Bhakra Beas Management Board, Nangal, whose son resides in Sector 25, observed the power system in Panchkula earlier. "Pruning of trees near distribution lines needs to be done, and dry bushes under the lines need to be cleared. Replacement of low-capacity feeders is needed, and advance notice for shutdowns should be given. He found a lack of proper maintenance as another reason for the deficiency in providing the service. " However, Chandan Singh, chief engineer (operations), Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (UHBVNL), reasoned, "It is a temporary phase, which will end by Saturday or Sunday. Due to recent storms, our lines got affected, so we are fixing them in a phased manner, for which sometimes power is turned off in between for some time. " Besides, he said, upgrading and maintenance is not an issue with the department.
