The denizens of this Silk City, who are reeling under hot
summer, are now facing post-election punishment through regular and frequent
power cuts.Hardly a week after the completion of the State’s first-phase polls
in Ganjam district, the Southco seems to have deliberately resorted to frequent
and unscheduled power cuts in the district, more particularly in Brahmapur
city, leaving its consumers to suffer.
It may be mentioned here that the Brahmapur residents
remained without power for more than a month after the twin natural disasters
of Phailin and incessant rains. The Southco took nearly four months to restore
normalcy in power supply and the consumers are yet to forget their sleepless
nights.
Because of the elections, the Southco did not resort to
power cuts so frequently as it is doing now as its old practice, observed a
senior citizen. The consumers are now experiencing power cuts more than five
times a day ranging between five minutes to an hour, particularly during the
period when the temperature has reached 40 degree Celsius.
Frequent power cuts coupled with low voltage in the city has
put the citizens in great distress and trauma. Supply of power has been vested
with the Southco not only for Brahmapur but also its adjoining areas like
Kanisi, Gopalpur and Kukudakhandi. There are currently 1.30 lakh consumers.
Moreover, consumption of electricity increases manifold
during summer. Even at 9 in the night, no AC or air cooler is working. While
the total consumption of energy in the city is 30 MW in other seasons, it has
increased to 50 MW during this hot summer,sources said.
When some of the consumers wanted to know the reason of such
frequent power cuts, a senior officer of the Southco said that repair works of
some transformers and sub-stations were kept suspended during the election
period and have now been undertaken, as a result of which the Southco may again
resort to power cuts for two hours, ie from 4 pm to 6 pm every day, if
required. Source: The Pioneer
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