KENDRAPARA: The power situation in the coastal district of Kendrapara continues to worsen as mercury level rises. While people allege that they are experiencing six-hour power cuts on an average daily, the Central Electricity Supply Utility (CESU) says it is resorting to three and a half hours power cut.
Residents have been spending sleepless nights due to erratic power supply while power outage is taking a heavy toll on small-scale industries. At least 10 ice-cream factories, 12 bakery units, three oil mills, 24 rice mills and other MSME units are the worst victims of load shedding in the district. Frequent power cuts are also interrupting water supply in many parts of the district.
Purnachandra Behera, a school student of Kendrapara, said two-hour power cut in the evening is hampering his studies.
Meanwhile, power crisis has boosted the sale of generators as many people are being compelled to purchase these alternative source of power to get electricity during power cut. In rural areas, farmers either hire or purchase generators to irrigate their lands.
Executive Engineer, CESU, Amarjit Patnaik said power supply is being disrupted due to repair and maintenance work. The repair work will be completed soon and people will get uninterrupted power, he added.