Humidity, frequent power cuts make summer unbearable for residents

Amritsar, July 20

As the highest temperature in the region hovers around 37°C these days, the high level of humidity is making weather troublesome for residents who are also forced to bear long scheduled and unscheduled power cuts.

The increased demand for electricity during hot and humid conditions has also hiked frequent power supply disruptions due to technical snags in the district.

“In these hot and humid conditions, air-conditioners are a necessity. No electric supply means that such equipment cannot be used,” Sunita Mahajan, a home maker said, while adding that three to four hour power cuts in the city were a routine affair these days.

Mehakdeep Singh from Sukharchak village said, “The residential areas in villages face long power cuts. As trees have grown under transmission lines at various places, even a medium velocity wind can cause power disruption.” He said last Wednesday, they had to remain without power supply for 14 hours due to a fault in transmission lines.

With a less than normal monsoon so far, residents are praying to the rain God to show mercy during the coming days. “A long spell of showers is very much required. The short spell of rains only increased humidity,” said a college student Kavita.

Nearly 40 per cent less rainfall than the normal during the ongoing season has not helped paddy cultivators as they are using tubewells to irrigate their fields.

“After recent downpour, farmers’ dependence on tubewells decreased. But as there has been not enough rain this season, tubewells are still running,” said Sukhdev, a farmer.