By IANS,
New Delhi : Delhi’s residents took to the streets yet again Saturday to protest the continuing power and water shortages in the city. People blocked traffic, vandalized offices of power distribution companies and even demonstrated outside the home of state Power Minister A.K. Walia.
At several places in Mayur Vihar, Okhla, Rajinder Nagar, Tilak Nagar and localities in east Delhi, people blocked traffic and vandalised offices of power service providers, a police official said.
“There is no light and no water for the last two days and nobody is listening to us. We have made several complaints to authorities but all in vain,” said Jaspal Raj, a resident of Rajinder Nagar in central Delhi.
East, north and outer Delhi areas were powerless for six to nine hours Friday night following the failure of a power grid in the capital.
According to a Delhi Transco Limited official, the city’s power demand Friday was 4,206 megawatts but it received only 4,171 megawatts.
“The reason behind the power shortage was a grid problem in Loni in east Delhi resulting in low frequency. Moreover, the power distribution companies are not following any specific plan and are doing things on their own,” an official said.
With the power situation deteriorating in the capital, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had earlier this week asked the discoms to publish the schedule of power cuts so that people could plan their day accordingly.
The met department, meanwhile, said the heat wave conditions would continue for the next couple of days across north India.