Cyclone Fani aftermath: Sans power supply, no end to sufferings of Puri residents

Puri: Despite government's assurance to completely restore power supply in Cyclone-Fani affected Puri district, many residents of the pilgrim city are still living without electricity. Amid blistering heat and humidity, lives of many residents including children have become miserable.

“Though the electricity department had assured to restore power supply by May 25, many places are still in darkness. We are suffering a lot,” said Prabhakar Behera, a Puri resident.

In prominent areas like VIP road, City road and Baliapanda, power is yet to be restored. While normal life has been thrown out of gear owing to the non-supply of power, the electricity department has said that 80% consumers have been given power supply.

“We are living in a pity condition. Due to mosquitoes and flies we cannot sleep at home. Children are not able to study due to the power outage. Our lives have become miserable,” said Manjulata Sahu, a resident of Puri City Road.

Although some areas of Satyabadi, Chandanpur, Brahmagiri, Konark and Nimapara have got electricity supply, 100 per cent power is yet to be restored.

Refuting the charges, an engineer of Puri Electricity division, P K Sahu, said, “The cable work on VIP road will be finished in a day or two. New poles will be set up as there have been damages to low transmission lines. It will take at least two to three days. The department had said power will be restored for 80-90% consumers. Accordingly, 40,000 consumers have got power supply.”