Resentment over lack of power supply post Cyclone Fani brews in Odisha

Jagatsingpur/Bhubaneswar: Resentment is now brewing among people of several parts of Odisha that were ravaged by cyclone Fani over non-restoration of electricity supply.Demanding immediate restoration of power supply, hundreds of locals of Chapada panchayat in Jagatsingpur district staged a road blockade on Cuttack-Paradip road today. Vehicular movement on the route was affected as the agitators had blocked the road by placing uprooted trees on the road.

#WATCH: Vehicular traffic on Cuttack-Paradip road affected as locals of Chapada panchayat in Jagatsinghpur district stage road blockade demanding restoration of power supply pic.twitter.com/pt6OxfTGfk

— OTV (@otvnews) May 11, 2019

Not only Jagatsinghpur, delay in restoring power supply has irked people in several parts of Bhubaneswar with locals staging a road blockade demonstration at Samantarapur of the State capital city. Traffic movement on NH-16 between Bhubaneswar and Puri was affected due to the protest.

Similarly, local residents staged a road blockade at Lingaraj temple chhak today over lack of power and drinking water supply.

#CycloneFaniAftermath | Irate over non-restoration of power supply, locals stage road blockade at Samantarapur in #Bhubaneswar; traffic movement on NH-16 between Bhubaneswar & Puri affected #CycloneFani pic.twitter.com/Q9HII4nQpg

— OTV (@otvnews) May 11, 2019

Earlier on Friday, hundreds of locals of Mundasahi had blocked the CRPF-Baramunda road demanding immediate restoration of power supply in the area. Later, the protesters lifted the blockade following assurances by local police to resolve their grievances.

In Nayapalli, angry locals created ruckus at Central Electricity Supply Utility of Orissa (CESU) office demanding electricity supply in the area. Similarly, locals had also blocked the KIIT main road for over two hours demanding immediate restoration of power supply in Prasanti Vihar area yesterday.

Meanwhile, in a tweet CESU appealed consumers to cooperate with concerned Section officers and line staff for early restoration of power supply.

Esteemed consumers are requested to cooperate with concerned Section officers and line staff for early restoration of power supply. Any kind of disruption may delay the restoration process.

- CESU, Odisha.

On the other hand, the State government claimed to have restored power supply to 2.3 lakh consumers in Chandrasekharpur, Niladri Vihar , Gadakana, Rasulgarh, Mancheswar and Patia area out of the total 4.5 lakh consumers in Bhubanswar.

Information and Public Relations Secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh had earlier informed that electricity supply will be restored in the city by May 12. However, Odisha power secretary Hemant Sharma yesterday said that as many as 90 per cent consumers will get electricity by tomorrow.