IN WHICH COUNTRY WAS ELECTRICITY FIRST INTRODUCED

 

 

In India, electricity was first introduced in Kolkata. The first electric light was lit in Calcutta in 1879 and again in 1881. With the Calcutta Electric Lighting Act of 1895, Calcutta & Company licensed electrification in Calcutta as an agent of the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation Limited. Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation Limited was registered in London. On 17 April 1899, the first thermal power plant of the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation Limited was commissioned at Imambagh Lane near Prinsep Ghat, ushering in thermal power generation in India. Whereas electricity reached Delhi in the early 20th century. By now the importance of the city had increased due to political reasons. According to Narayani Gupta's book 'Delhi Between to Empires', electricity also came to Delhi in 1902 due to the (Delhi) Durbar. However, the generation of electricity in Delhi started in 1905. In the early days, electricity was made from diesel. During the Third Delhi Durbar of 1911, when the British king announced the transfer of the capital of British India from Calcutta to Delhi in a ceremony held at the Coronation Park in Burari, the same year a steam generating station was built here.

Electricity decoration was done in Delhi Durbar 

Significantly, in the first decade of the 20th century, the British, imitating Indian tradition, held two Durbars (1903, 1911) in Delhi, which were decorated with electricity. Leo Coleman in his book 'A Moral Technology, Electrification as Political Ritual in New Delhi' has outlined the role of technology in shaping cultural politics, political thought under the pretext of electrification of India's capital.

Wasteful expenditure on electricity

HC Fanshwa, author of 'Delhi, Past and Present', while discussing the introduction of electric lighting in the East (ie India), dismissed it as a wasteful expenditure. He argued that unlike Calcutta in Delhi, business ends in the evening. In such a situation, the light from kerosene is enough.

The first diesel power station installed in 1905 

An English company named 'M/s John Fleming' built the first diesel power station in Delhi in 1905. This company was responsible for both the generation and distribution of electricity. After obtaining a license under the Electricity Act, 1903, the John Fleming Company built a small two MW diesel station at Lahori Gate in Old Delhi. Later its name was changed to 'Delhi Electricity Supply and Traction Company'. In 1911, steam generation stations were started to generate electricity. According to the 'Gazette of Delhi, 1912', Delhi was not backward in any way in terms of lighting by electricity. It is true that only small streets and civil lines are lit with kerosene-burning lamps, but arrangements for electric lighting were made in the streets. Altogether 40 lamps to light 2000 candles and 80 lamps to light 50 candles were installed. Regular electricity is being provided for lighting public buildings, civil lines houses and the houses of the nobles. According to Leo Coleman, these English royal rituals reflected the colonial hold on modern techniques. It also inspired Indian princes to try to use modern electricity for their political and religious rituals.

Delhi Central Electricity Power Authority was formed in 1939.

In 1932 the management of the Central Power House was handed over to the 'New Delhi Municipal Corporation Committee' (NDMC). In Delhi's power generation-distribution sector, the year 1939 was a milestone as the Delhi Central Electricity Power Authority (DCEPA) was formed in the same year. The responsibility of this company was to provide electricity to the local bodies, especially the areas of Delhi Municipal Committees, West Delhi and South Delhi, besides the areas under the notified area committees, Red Fort, Civil Lines, Mehrauli, Najafgarh and Delhi District Board. At the same time, the work of power supply in the areas of Municipal Committees of Delhi-Shahdara and the notified area of ​​Narela was in the hands of various private agencies.

Constitution of Delhi State Electricity Board in 1951

After India got independence i.e. in the year 1947, DESTC was acquired by DCEPA Limited, then 1951 Delhi State Electricity Board was formed.