Wednesday 10 May 2000

City reels under power cuts The Times of India News Service

LUCKNOW: Residents of the Prime Minister's constituency are stuck in sweat, grime and dry taps with large parts of the city reeling under power cuts. The Lucknow Electric Supply Administration's tall claims of providing `power-cut free' summer have fallen flat with frequent power failures, low voltage and transformer breakdowns.

"All thanks to LESA, every alternate day we at Khurrumnagar have candle-light dinners and nights full of perspiration," quipped a resident sarcastically. The area has been plagued with frequent power failures. The residents after running from pillar to post with complaints from the lowest electrical mechanic to the junior engineer of the area, have now resigned to fate. Even LESA GM, Udai Narain, has been petitioned in this regard, but to no avail.

Adjacent to Khurramnagar are the Mahanagar and Aliganj areas, where the situation is no better. In midst of scorching summer, low-voltage has forced residents to switch off their coolers and refrigerators. "We spent our hard-earned money to buy these gadgets, but owing to low voltage these are virtually non-functional," Ms Sharma said.

With power failure, water supply is also disrupted. "In most areas, water supply is through tube-wells and pumping sets, which cannot take load due to power failures and low voltage," informed Rampujan Patel, a tube-well operator. Private jet pumps have also been rendered useless and residents can be seen making a beeline to water taps in parks and hand-pumps.

Local BJP corporator, GD Shukla, when contacted, also expressed helplessness in this regard. "The hand-pumps installed by Jal Sansthan and Jal Nigam only a year back are out of order and frequent power failures have rendered water pumps useless," he said.

Power situation is worse in Indira Nagar, considered a VIP area. With no options left many residents are toying with alternate ideas. Some of the residents are thinking about buying portable generators, while many already have. When contacted in this regard, LESA GM was not available for his comments.

http://www.timesofindia.com/today/10mlkn2.htm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), May 09, 2000