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In Odisha, rising temperatures have heightened anxiety among residents due to frequent power disruptions. Various regions are grappling with either intermittent electricity supply or low voltage issues, while unresolved electricity bills have led to complete blackouts in some villages, sparking civil unrest, sources said on Monday.
Also Read: Unpaid bills will not lead to power disconnection in summer: Odisha Minister
Plights of the electricity consumers
Both urban and rural communities face similar challenges. Since late March, the power cuts have coincided with intense heat, worsening the predicament. The scorching conditions highlight the State's reliance on stable electricity supplies.
In the Raighar locality of Nabarangpur district, residents of approximately 26 village panchayats have been without electricity since 12.00 Noon of the previous day. Farmers have publicly expressed frustrations, stating that low voltage issues have persisted for nearly six months, attracting little attention from officials.
Irate residents blocked roads, protesting for nearly 30 hours. Authorities eventually assured them of a resolution by April 6.
In the Subarnapur district, particularly in the Biramaharajpur block of Bahalapada, villagers faced power cuts due to unpaid invoices. Families were reportedly asked to settle Rs 2,000 in arrears. Failure to pay led to Tata Power disconnecting electricity from midday on March 29, prompting protests.
Following discussions between the local protesters, police, and Tata Power officials, services were restored after 24 hours, although the power company has yet to comment publicly.
In the Ranasahi area near Balasore city, residents experienced a week-long outage in March due to outstanding bills. The power was disconnected on the evening of March 11 and only restored by March 19.
Recently, Deputy CM and Energy Minister KV Singh Deo pledged that power cuts due to unpaid bills would be avoided during heat waves. However, power cuts remain a source of distress across the State.
Must Read: Tata Power flayed for 'exploiting' consumers with inflated bills in Odisha
“No customer will face power disconnection for pending dues. The directive also restricts any unauthorised power outages during the peak hours of summer,” Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari had previously said.
Reported By: Chandrakant Jena, Rabindra Hota, Santosh Satpathy
