LUCKNOW: Statewide protests continued at several places against power cuts in Uttar Pradesh, according to reports received at the State headquarters.

The drop in power generation, the summer time load on the grid, increased power demand and huge gap between demand and supply has compelled the authorities to go for massive power cuts in urban and rural areas. The big cities are getting power supply of 10 to 14 hours daily and the rural areas are getting even lesser power much to the discomfort of consumers all over the State.

Against the installed capacity of about 3400 MW in U.P., the generation is less than 2000 MW and despite excess import from the Central sector, the demand-supply gap is over 2000 MW.

``The peak hour demand has been in the excess of 6800 MW and the inordinate load on the grid is forcing us to go for power cuts all over the State,''a U.P. Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) spokesman told UNI here on Tuesday.

The State Government has already ordered power cut to industries from 10pm till morning about a week ago. Big towns like Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Agra and the state capital of Lucknow are under severe strain as far as power cuts are concerned.

Life badly affected

Life was badly affected due to the power crunch as Government offices remained without electricity and other amenities like water supply. Health services also suffered, reports added.

A report from Ferozabad said an angry mob consisting of students attacked a local power sub-station in Shikohabad and ransacked the office and set afire some articles there. While the power employees managed to flee to save their lives, the mob looted cash worth Rs one lakh from the office.

The situation in Etah district was even worse as rural areas are hardly getting any power and the farmers were forced to use diesel pumps for agriculture purposes. Seven of the eight legislators from the district belong to the ruling Samajwadi Party and they have refrained themselves from making a public issue of power shortages.

Dhakshinachal Power Supply Corporation officials told UNI in Etah that tripping due to overloading had caused problems during the past few days. They admitted the power supply was even less than the announced power cut and farmers and general public were equally affected due to the situation.

Another report from Jaunpur said the district was getting power up to ten hours a day and the people were agitated. The district court lawyers had boycotted the courts on Monday while Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) workers staged a dharna at district headquarter in protest.

Similar protests were reported from Basti, Mahoba, Muzzafarnagar, Ballia and Allahabad. Poor power supply in Bundelkhand region and the Western UP districts threw normal life out of gear. UNI

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