Striking powermen hold Chandigarh to ransom

Tribune News Service

Dushyant Singh Pundir
Chandigarh, February 22

Amid lack of any contingency planning by the UT Administration on handling consequential power blackouts, most parts of the city remained out of power with life virtually coming to a standstill for most residents, businesses and the industry.

Also read: Chandigarh power crisis: High Court takes suo motu cognisance

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2 new helpline numbers

The UT has launched two more helpline numbers for electricity complaints.

0172-2740294

0172-2740411

Several areas in Chandigarh faced major power outages as employees of the Electricity Department went on a three-day strike in protest against the privatisation of the department, holding the city to ransom. However, Sector 28-B, housing several employees of the Electricity Department, enjoyed uninterrupted power supply during the day.

‘Will take entire day to restore supply’

We have invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act and the striking staff have been asked to report for duty. We are constantly monitoring the situation. It will take at least entire day to restore the supply fully. Dharam Pal, UT Adviser

The employees, under the banner of the UT Powermen Union, went on a 72-hour complete strike against the privatisation of the department. Facing the brunt of the power failure since last night, residents even alleged foul play by protesting employees of the union.

Residents of Modern Housing Complex (MHC) , Mani Majra, said electricity went off just after midnight in their area and it was yet to be restored till filing of the story.

Similarly, residents of Sector 46 and 28-D said there was no light in their area since 4 am. Also, there was no light in whole of Sector 40. Residents in other sectors, including 33, 38-B, 24, 42, 46, 47, 41, 27, 29, 30 and 21-A, Kishangarh, Mani Majra and other parts of the city faced a total blackout.

Mohit Sharma, a resident of Mani Majra, said, “We don’t have electricity since last night. I am an IT professional working from home, but now even my laptop battery has gone down. This way, I think the water supply will also be hampered. I may have to take leave for a couple of days if this issue continues. Or I may have to go out of city where I can get electricity.”

Expressing anguish against the UT Administration, a resident of Sector 40 said the Administration had claimed that necessary arrangements had been made for the smooth supply of electricity, but there no power.

Colossal failure of UT: Residents’ body

“It’s a colossal failure on the part of the local MP and the Administration. They should have made alternative arrangements for power as they knew about the strike long back,” said Vinod Vashisht, convener, City Forum of Residents Welfare Organisations.

Helpline numbers of no help

• Aditya Rohilla, a shopkeeper at Sector 22, said despite repeated attempts, the helpline remained busy all the time.
• Expressing similar views, Kanika Tara, a resident of Mani Majra, said when she called up the helpline number in the morning, nobody picked up the call, but after the number remained busy.
• Bharat Bajaj, a resident of Sector 21, said, “We have been facing power outage since midnight. There is no update when electricity supply will be restored. After contacting the local helpline number multiple times, the official concerned said there was some fault in the line but due to strike, they had no one to look into the complaint. Hopefully, it will be restored soon.”

Ailing patients suffer at home

• A resident of Sector 27 said, “My 91-year-old mother has to be nebulised six times a day. We couldn’t provide her with medical aid as there was no electricity since 3 am.”
• Another city resident took to the social media: “My husband is dependent on nebuliser. The department said power won’t be restored until the strike is over.”

Demand for generator sets soars

Apprehensive of power crisis for two more days, many residents of city went to local shops to take generator sets on rent. This led to a shortage of generator sets in the market. A resident said she was trying to get a generator set since morning but was unable to get it. A shopkeeper said the rent of generator set went up to Rs3,000 per day.

No cuts in colony housing powermen

While a majority of the sectors in the city faced a blackout, Sector 28-B, housing several employees of the Electricity Department, enjoyed uninterrupted power supply during the day.

No help comes from Punjab, Haryana

The UT requested for nearly 90 employees each from the Punjab and Haryana governments to restore power supply in the city, but no help was received.

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