7-hour power cut leaves Shimla residents fuming

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 8

A seven-hour unscheduled power cut in Vikasnagar, SDA Complex and other parts of the state capital gave residents a tough time today. The worst-hit were office-goers and shopkeepers, whose business took a hit due to the power outage.

HP State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) did not give any prior information about the power cut, said residents of the affected areas.

Ved Prakash, a local shopkeeper, said: “I could not finish my assignments due to the long power cut.”

Women had a tough time doing household chores. “It becomes so difficult to go about your daily chores if there is no electricity. The board should not impose such long power cuts,” a housewife said.

“A long power cut that too on Dasehra. Those running private offices had it the toughest,” the residents said. “If those living in the state capital are reeling under darkness, imagine the plight of people living on the outskirts,” a resident said. Most inverters acted up as the power cut was too long. “We could not even greet our friends and relatives as mobile phones were not charged. How can such a thing happen during the festive season,” said Rohit Thakur, another resident.

Nobody responded to the calls made to the electricity board. “I could not upload and send assignments as there was no electricity in the SDA Complex from 10.30 am to 5.50 pm,” said a resident.

HPSEBL local engineer in-charge did not take the call. The field staff said they were undertaking some repair work in the SDA and Vikasnagar-Kasumpati area, adding that the board had intimated the consumers about the power cut.