Power outages in Fazilka plague locals

Our Correspondent

Abohar, August 19

While the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) authorities have claimed to utilise the Central and state government funds worth Rs 24 crore in the past three years, power management in Fazilka’s Abohar subdivision has allegedly nosedived to a new level.

Taking cognisance of the complaints in this connection, the office of Punjab Chief Minister today told the chairman-cum-managing director of PSPCL to look into the matter, and take necessary action.

Residents today informed Sunil Jakhar, president, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, and the offices of Chief Minister and Chief Secretary via emails that as soon as it rained in the area, the supply of power was snapped.

PSPCL had upgraded its 132kV main grid substation on the Abohar-Malout road to 220kV, and 33kV substation in Nai Abadi to 66kV. The PSPCL officials had assured there would be uninterrupted power supply, as old metal poles were replaced by cement concrete poles, junked wires were also replaced and the main wire was substituted by a heavy plastic-coated cable.

Akhil Bhartiya Grahak Panchayat, an NGO, said hundreds of uncovered boxes of meter had got burnt in the past few months during rain, because of substandard cable and meter boxes. Many stray bulls were also electrocuted.