Intermittent electricity outages hit city, Power minister holds meet

Kolkata: Intermittent load-shedding that was reported in various parts of the city and adjoining areas for the past two days eventually led to an agitation in several parts of Kolkata with the local people arguing that it was impossible to bear power cuts when mercury is soaring above 40 degree Celsius.

The incidents occurred in CESC areas. State power minister Aroop Biswas held a meeting with the senior CESC officials at Vidyut Unnayan Bhawan where he issued certain instructions to the CESC.

The CESC has been asked to make arrangements for adequate transformers and high-power DG sets. From Beleghata to Haridebpur, Jodhpur Park to Purbachal, including a few pockets in Central Kolkata, load-shedding occurred in different parts of the city in this scorching heat. As there has been a severe power failure in various areas of the city by CESC, people protested on the streets. In many places, CESC transformers developed technical glitches.

For example, in vast areas under Beliaghata — Gandhipara, Alochaya Mor, Jayashree, power outages have been taking place since Saturday.

A transformer caught fire on Sunday morning. An attempt was made to bring a generator to deal with the situation. But it is alleged that nothing has been done.

Meanwhile, local residents blocked the road near Alochaya-Mor in Beleghata on Tuesday morning due to harassment and suffering from load-shedding.

Locals claimed that a large area of Mahatma Gandhi Road has been without electricity since midnight on Monday.

In protest, local residents blocked the road in front of the Haridevpur Post Office from Tuesday morning.

TMC MP Shubashis Chakraborty went to the spot after receiving the news. Agitation was lifted following his assurance. Locals claim generators are sent to try to handle the situation. But they were of no use. During Tuesday’s meeting, CESC was also told that electricity personnel should be kept ready everywhere. WBSEDCL has opened a 24-hour control room to report any problem related to the power supply anywhere, the numbers are 89007 93503 and 89007 93504.