Unscheduled power cuts back in city

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 20

Frequent unscheduled power cuts in the constituency, which had been given the status of a “power cut-free zone” during the SAD-BJP regime in the state, have left people fuming.

It seems that with the change of power in the state, the status of the “power cut-free zone” had been taken back as power cuts are back in the city.

The rising mercury, heat wave and unscheduled power cuts in almost all parts of the city have started affecting residents badly. People who can afford generators or inverters are depending upon them, while others, who form a majority, have no option but to bear the scorching weather.

The city had enjoyed the status of a power cut-free zone during the SAD-BJP government from 2009 to 2017.

Power cuts were minimal in 2009 when Harsimrat Kaur Badal, wife of former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, contested the Lok Sabha elections from Bathinda, said a section of city residents.

Residents fear that these power cuts would increase in the coming days as the paddy season was going to start soon and  due to the same, power supply would be provided to farmers.

Prof NK Gosian, a resident of Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, said frequent unscheduled power cuts even during nights upset the daily schedule.

He said recently many electrical appliances were damaged due to voltage fluctuation at Malwa College.  He said when they ask the officials, they claim that some maintenance work was going on.

He said: “I want to know why the maintenance work was not carried out in winters.”

Gagan Singh, a resident of the Civil Lines area, said people were suffering due to unscheduled power cuts.

Neha Singh, a housewife, said power outages had hit her household work badly.

“Bathinda has been declared as a power cut-free zone but it is sad that unscheduled power cuts are being imposed every day in the city.”

Meanwhile, Hardeep Singh Sidhu, XEN, PSPCL, said the power supply was provided to residents and there were no complaints as such.

He said today the power supply was stopped for an hour in the Civil Lines area as power cables were to be replaced.

He said: “Earlier scheduled power cuts were imposed for the maintainance work but after April 20, we have left the remaining work in between and are only attending to power complaints of residents.”