Power strike hits Varanasi trade, industries

VARANASI: The district’s power supply was badly affected by the 72-hour strike of electricity department employees which started from Thursday night, as alternative arrangements made by the administration to tackle local faults, shut-downs and other issues proved insufficient. Trade and industrial activities were also badly hampered.
While many areas were suffering from power cuts, the power employees were performing ‘Samjhauta-purti Yajna’ near Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited’s headquarters on Friday.
District magistrate S Rajalingam took stock of the power sub-stations and feeders to check the presence of administration officials and security forces deployed there. Policemen were deployed for security of feeder at Imalia Ghat, Pannalal sub-stations, urban electricity distribution division-II Chowkaghat and other places. However, except security personnel no operator was found on duty.
At the integrated control and command centre in Sigra the officials informed the DM that all sub-stations and feeders are under sharp vigil and security forces have been directed to keep the alternative staff for operations and repair works, safe.
However, the alternative arrangements failed to prove sufficient as the office in collectorate remained in dark. People in Naibasti Pandeypur area had to struggle even for potable water due to power cut since Thursday morning.
Irked over power cuts, the traders in trans-Varuna staged a sit-in. People from Englishialine, Paredkothi, Maldahiya, Siddhgiribagh, localities connected with Maidagin, Ramnagar, Sarnath, Kandva and other feeders made complaints regarding power cut however, they could find no one to resolve the issue.
The Indian Industries Association’s Varanasi unit convened an emergency meeting on Friday. IIA’s national vice president RK Chaudhary, national secretary Rajesh Bhatia and other industrialists alleged that power cut since Thursday night had left all industries in Ramnagar industrial area defunct. They held it shocking and demanded the government to find out immediate solution against the problems generated due to strike of power employees.