Agitation against erratic power supply in Seraikela

Mail News Service

Saraikela, June 7: The district headquarters and the rural and urban areas have been bearing the brunt of erratic power supply for long but the lackadaisical attitude of the electricity department workers and officials has only enhanced the misery especially during the summer months. Denizens have lamented that senior departmental officials are unapproachable.

Nagar Panchayat vice president Manoj Kumar Chowdhary had on several earlier occasions taken up public complaints regarding pathetic power supply conditions in writing with the electricity department officials but the efforts yielded no response. Finally patience gave way to anger and a large number of disgruntled power consumers from the urban and rural sectors including businessmen, women, political activists and students took out an agitation rally  under the leadership of Nagar Panchayat vice president Manoj Kumar Chowdhary reached the office of the Divisional assistant engineer. The delegation presented the problems being faced by the power consumers and asked for immediate solutions.

According to a report, the departmental official told the delegation that due to lack of necessary equipment and other vital infrastructure, power supply had to be cut off during high winds and rains. The official also informed that work was in progress and power supply would be streamlined soon. A memorandum signed by all power consumers was handed over to the departmental official. The memorandum sought answers to causes of erratic power supply, what steps were being adopted to rectify such irregularities, which official was entrusted with maintenance work and how many mechanics were engaged in the maintenance department. These information were to be made public by the electricity department.