Seraikela Civic Chief Warns JBVNL Over Power & Water Crisis

Seraikela: Seraikela Nagar Panchayat Chairman Manoj Kumar Chaudhary has taken a firm stand against worsening power outages and a deepening water crisis. He issued a strongly worded letter to the General Manager of Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL), Jamshedpur, demanding immediate intervention and strict corrective action.

Power Instability Triggers Water Shortage

Chaudhary highlighted that frequent, unannounced power cuts have severely disrupted daily life and crippled the town’s water distribution system over the past week. He alleged that PSS operators and linemen act arbitrarily, imposing unscheduled shutdowns without prior notice. This negligence has fueled public outrage and left the entire town in darkness.

Technical Negligence and Infrastructure Woes

The Chairman pointed out several chronic technical issues that the department has failed to address for years:

• Vulnerable Routes: Main power lines pass through rivers, fields, and forests, making night-time repairs nearly impossible.

• Poor Maintenance: Under-maintained transformers, oil shortages, and overloading continue to plague the system.

• Single Feeder Dependency: Nearly 5,000 households depend on a single feeder, meaning a minor fault plunges the entire town into a blackout.

• Unmet Demands: The department has ignored long-standing requests for a separate feeder, AB switches, and station breakers.

Chaudhary described the current system as a “chaotic web” and criticized the lack of monitoring by engineers. He even alleged collusion between certain staff members and unscrupulous mechanics.

Warning of Public Unrest

Stating that these lapses tarnish the government’s image despite adequate funding, Chaudhary warned that the department must restore normalcy immediately. He noted that failure to act against irresponsible staff could lead to uncontrollable public unrest. He forwarded copies of his complaint to the Deputy Commissioner, the Energy Department, and the Chief Minister of Jharkhand.

Proposed Load Shedding Schedule

Following a detailed discussion with Executive Engineer Lalji Mahto and his team at the Gudiyadih PSS, officials reached a consensus to improve supply quality. To streamline outages, the Chairman proposed the following fixed load-shedding schedule:

• Morning: 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM

• Afternoon: 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM

• Evening: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

• Night: 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Chaudhary reiterated his commitment to ensuring reliable electricity and appealed to residents to cooperate with the new timings while reporting any further issues promptly.