Unannounced power cuts: Irked residents gherao Palarivattom KSEB office

Kochi: The KSEB invited the wrath of the public with its unannounced power cut at a time when the temperature is touching an all-time high. The irked people, including women and children, gathered at the KSEB office at Palarivattom here at midnight in protest.  

Those assembled at the KSEB office include consumers from Edappally Madham Junction, Maithri Nagar, Kaloor, Karukappilly, Perumbotta and Ponekkara areas. Soon the Palarivattom Police also reached the spot.

The people took a stance that they would not disperse until the power supply was reinstated, putting both the KSEB and the police under trouble. Two weeks ago, a couple from Ponekkara had slept at the KSEB office over the same issue. 

The Edappally area has been reeling under the unannounced power cut for the past four nights. With the hike in the loads, the lines are shut. On Monday night also, the power went off at 10 pm and was not reinstated for hours. The residents also alleged that nobody at the office picked up their calls. As it became impossible for them to sleep inside their homes, the residents rushed to the KSEB section office to protest.

They did not accept the KSEB explanation that the power went off as a result of overload. The people also pointed out that the issue exists only in certain areas and that localities where electricity consumption is higher where powerful people reside are not affected. 

Meanwhile, the KSEB authorities had no answer for queries such as why the phone calls were not attended and why no action was taken yet to increase the capacity of the transformers. The infuriated people refused to leave the office even after 2 am on Tuesday. 

It was on April 9, when the couple from Ponekkara brought a mat and slept at the KSEB office till the power supply was restored at their residence at 3 am on the next day. A new 100 KV transformer was installed on Manimala road on the next day itself following the incident.