Power cuts fray tempers, energy minister KV Singh Deo cites burnt transformers

Bhubaneswar: Several places in rural Odisha are facing severe power disruptions amid the heatwave. Locals said fans, water pumps and other electrical appliances are barely functioning, intensifying hardship and prompting demands for immediate govt intervention.Demonstrations and lodging of complaints for uninterrupted electricity supply were reported from Bhalubasa under Rairangpur block in Mayurbhanj district, Surangi area in Ganjam district, Salepur in Cuttack district, Gajapati district, Bhubaneswar’s Bharatpur, Balangir and other districts.Villagers of Bhalubasa blocked NH-220 for an hour on Saturday, protesting low voltage and unscheduled power cut. The agitators said they have been facing low voltage issue over two months. “If the issue is not resolved, we will block the NH again,” threatened a villager.Over 100 villagers from Surangi area under Chikiti block in Ganjam district staged a protest against frequent power cuts. They even cooked food in front of the electricity office under Chikiti section as a mark of protest.Deputy chief minister and energy minister KV Singh Deo assured power cuts would not occur in the state.“Heatwave sweeping the state is resulting in transformers getting burnt due to overloading. We are taking all necessary steps to restore supply in areas where transformer burnouts are occurring. Efforts are on to provide stable power supply to the people of Odisha,” he added.Biswanath Nagar in Paralakhemundi town in Gajapati district faced erratic supply for over a week, disrupting daily life and damaging appliances. People complained of voltage fluctuations and lack of prompt response from officials. “We cannot lift water to rooftop tank due to low voltage. Even fan and ACs are not working. People cannot stay at home due to power cut and low voltage,” said a resident on Saturday.Authorities said damaged cables are being replaced and new lines are being laid to stabilise supply. An executive engineer assured that ongoing repair work will largely resolve the issue soon, bringing much-needed relief to residents battling extreme summer heat. Similarly, Salepur people barged into the grid office after they faced undeclared power cut on Friday. After police intervened in the matter, irate people returned home.Residents of Bharatpur in Bhubaneswar also staged a protest on Thursday in front of the local electricity office.