BENGALURU: For the past one week, Ashok Kumar’s morning routine has turned messy for one reason - power cuts. The tax consultant from Kumaraswamy Layout in Bengaluru South said, “We don’t know when the power will go off or when it will be restored. Power goes off for 30 minutes to an hour during the day. Sometimes, it will be between 7.30am and 8.30 am or 11 am and 12 noon. Power cuts in the morning delays all household chores. Fortunately, there have been no cuts at night.”
For residents across Bengaluru, this story holds true.
Complaints of unscheduled power cuts are common in Bengaluru North division. A few residents said they face power cuts on alternate days.
Shobha, a homemaker in Malleshwaram, said power cuts in the morning or afternoon last for half an hour and sometimes an hour. “Power supply is being disrupted on alternate days,” she said.
Umesh, a lawyer’s assistant, said he too has faced erratic power supply in Basaveshwaranagar. He added that this may affect students who are preparing for SSLC, PUC or other exams.
Residents in Sanjay Nagar, Banaswadi, Hennur Cross, Lingarajapuram and Sadashivanagar too have complained of frequent power cuts.
The power situation in the state has also taken a toll on small and medium scale industries. Krishnamurthy, who runs a metal fabrication industry in Uttarahalli, said, “We wait for power to come back for work to resume. But we have pay labourers without getting any work done.” He added that this has affected production.
Hanumanthe Gowda, Vice-President, Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA), said power cuts have affected industries, mainly plastic, moulding and looming. Energy Minister D K Shivakumar claimed that there was no power shortage. “We are planning to meet him next week after studying the situation across the state.”