This Is Election Time...

KANPUR: Nobody is sure as to how the results of the 15th Lok Sabha elections are going to shape up and affect people of the city in post-poll scenario, but pre-poll scenario prevalent throws a mixed bag of luck for city denizens with preparation-pinches being felt on several fronts.
The scramble for power this Lok Sabha elections, has twisted power scenario in city in an interesting manner.Traders and industrialists of the city are sweating over the power authority KESCO's decision to start power rostering in the industrial areas of Panki, Dadanagar area. These areas, which were privileged in the sense in not facing power-cuts usually, are facing a massive power rostering of about 8 to 10 hours these days. The rostering started in these areas from February 27 and has negatively affected industrial production accruing losses to the tune of almost Rs 10 crore.
This power, which was earlier being supplied to industrial areas, is now being re-distributed to rural areas in the wake of Lok Sabha elections.
The heat of elections was felt severely few days back when a massive fire broke out in Kidwai Nagar area, in which a loss of Rs five crore was incurred. The fire kept on raging for a period of several hours but fire-brigade vehicles could not arrive at the spot immediately. The delay in prompt facilities of fire-brigade reaching the affected site was due to the fact that fire-brigade vehicles were pre-occupied with stream of VIPs making a bee-line to the city to campaign for the third phase polls.
Also, medical facilities could not be rushed immediately to the spot as six of the 12 ambulances of medical department were pressed into election duties with most of para-medical staff being pre-occupied there.
Pleasantly on the other front of power scene, the good news the elections bring forth is for residents of non-industrial areas. Just for a brief spell till voting day, the regular power rostering that takes place in night-hours in city has been discontinued till April 30. It will only continue for three hours a day, from 10 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. After voting gets over, the rostering in these areas will return to haunt city denizens.
On transportation front, the EC and district administration have put forward a demand of about 2,000 vehicles to be used during the polls from regional transport office. The RTO has asked that about 1,000 heavy, 500 light and 400 medium vehicles should be handed over to it and a notice has been issued to concerned departments and vehicle-owners. This demand has sent several vehicle owners in a tizzy with fear of forced grabbing of their vehicles by departments and inviting penal action under People's Representation Act-1951.
The electoral processes is also affecting educational procedures of students too. About 170 university staff will be busy in electoral process and that will affect the process of distribution of provisional mark-sheets, forms and other certificates.