Power-cuts cripple life

Frequent power-cuts in Jeypore and its peripheral villages have made life miserable for people. They are facing power outage for three to eight hours every day. 

JEYPORE: Frequent power-cuts in Jeypore and its peripheral villages have made life miserable for people. They are facing power outage for three to eight hours every day. 

According to sources, Jeypore and 30 villages under Randapali, Amabaguda, Kebedi, Konga, Hadia and Dhanpur panchayats are supplied power by Distribution company (distcom) Southco through Jeypore and Randapali sub-station.

There are around 15,000 registered connections including household and commercial consumers under Jeypore Southco unit which requires eight to 10 mw power supply. The Upper Kolab Hydel Project has a daily power generation capacity of 120 mw but Southco’s inability to meet the local demands has surprised many. The sources said most of the power generated from the Upper Kolab Hydel Project  is diverted to Gridco which supplies it to other districts and states.

Power-cuts have been affecting education and economic development of the villages. ‘’We lost our land and resources due to the Upper Kolab Hydel Project but we hardly get adequate power supply round the year,’’ lamented J Ramesh, a resident of Jeypore. He added that they get proper power supply only after 7 pm. Agricultural activities have also been affected due to the power disruption.

Southco officials said they have no role in power-cuts as Gridco authorities in Bhubaneswar decide the extent and frequency of power-cuts. Several organisations and people of Jeypore have sought local MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati’s intervention to resolve the power crisis in the rural belt.  

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