The Hindu : Front Page : Power cuts, traffic jams spoil festive mood in Capital

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 10, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Power cuts, traffic jams spoil festive mood in Capital

Staff Reporter

BSES areas worst sufferers; inadequate power supply, say discoms

NEW DELHI: Long hours of power cuts coupled with traffic jams in several parts of the Capital marred Raksha Bandhan celebrations for many on Wednesday.

While residents blamed the private distribution companies for the erratic supply, the discoms put the blame on inadequate supply of power for the 500 MW loadshedding which had to be resorted to in the city.

Wondering why the power cuts were taking place despite the weather being quite pleasant, various residents' welfare associations criticised the discoms for not providing the residents with regular and uninterrupted power during the day.

"We do not understand why the discoms could not assure proper power supply on an auspicious day like Rakhi when each family receives guests. Assurances of no future power cuts are repeated every now and then but still six to seven hours of power cuts have become a part and parcel of people's life,'' said S.P.Singh, vice-president of Joint Front, Vasundhra.

With the power cuts being the maximum in the BSES areas -- with the loadshedding being about 330 MW -- residents of various colonies such as Mayur Vihar, Karol Bagh, GK I and II, New Rajender Nagar, Green Park, Rohini, Pitampura, Krishna Nagar and Dilshad Garden and NDPL areas of Rohini and Pitampura criticised the Delhi Government on the ground that power cuts have become a norm rather than exception.

Atul Goyal of Karol Bagh RWA said: "The Supreme Court's intervention in May this year asking the Delhi Government to explain the poor power situation in spite of four years of privatisation has not been able to galvanise the discoms.'' Another RWA representative, S.S. Talwar of Naraina, said either the residents were being taken for a ride by the Government or there is something seriously wrong with the distribution system.

Meanwhile, the discoms were not in a mood to claim responsibility for the poor power scenario, While holding the shortage in supply to be the main reason for the crisis.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page