The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : No power in seat of power

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 23, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

No power in seat of power

Special Correspondent

WHAT A DAY! A power failure plunged Secretariat in darkness affecting work through out Saturday. Photo: Satish H.

HYDERABAD: Power supply went off throughout office hours at the Secretariat on Saturday, affecting normal work.

This followed the breakdown of a distribution transformer in the cellar of "J" block connecting the Secretariat to the 33/11-KV Hussainsagar sub-station, with an explosive sound around 10 a.m.

This plunged offices located in different blocks, the two underground canteens below K block on the north-east, into darkness. Computers conked out, Xerox machines got stuck, and intercom lines went dead.

With call-bells becoming mute, officials had to come out of their chambers every time and summon their attenders. A lift in L block with four persons on board was stuck between the third and fourth floors.

C block where the offices of the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary are located, however, was spared the ordeal as they have standby generators.

Y. Linga Reddy of Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company who oversees supply to the premises, said the distribution transformer was installed at the place some 16 years ago.

It was replaced at around 6 p.m. with the help of a crane.

As darkness prevailed at noon in all sections of the blocks, most officers and employees could do little work in the darkness and the stuffy atmosphere.

CEO's plight

The plight of Chief Electoral Officer V. Bhaskar in whose office work reached a feverish pitch due to the Visakhapatnam I byelections on Monday, was no different. He was forced to leave office early. Activity in the canteens and the Civil Supplies and Fedcon counters came to a close as also at the juice centre. Most employees trooped out early as supply could not be restored till the close of working hours.

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