ROURKELA: Widespread damage to power distribution networks due to the thunderstorm on Wednesday evening left thousands of people in Sundargarh district without power in the sultry weather for long hours.
While more than 40,000 people across Sundargarh were impacted, the Tata Power Western Odisha Distribution Ltd (TPWODL) was found struggling to restore power even at Rourkela city where consumers were left to fend for themselves for 24 hours and beyond.
Sources said at around 6.30 pm on Wednesday, rain and thunderstorm with gutsy wind caused extensive damage to power distribution networks at many places in Rourkela including Civil Township, Mahtab Road area and major parts of Sundargarh. Most of the damage was caused by uprooted trees.
Abhinya Kumar Das (61), a resident of New LIC Colony at the posh Civil Township, said after lodging a complaint in the TPDOWL office, he has been waiting for restoration of power for more than 24 hours. Sources said TPWODL was yet to respond to several complaints till the filing of this report.
TPWODL sources said at Civil Township, two low tension poles and overhead wires were badly damaged to completely disrupt power supply through four feeders. Three teams comprising over 20 personnel worked overnight to restore supply at a few places by Thursday morning. The rest two feeders were restored by 6 pm.
Rourkela MLA Sarada Prasad Nayak criticised the TPWODL and said it is unfortunate that residents of a Smart City like Rourkela are left to suffer for the inefficient disaster response system of the power distribution company. He accused the TPWODL of focusing only on profit and not investing in underground cabling of energy supply lines and avoiding employing adequate manpower for quick response.
Superintending engineer of TPWODL Sanjit Nayak said Bonai, K Balang, Barsuan, Kuanrmunda, Hathibari, Nuagaon, Kalunga and other pockets of rural Sundargarh along with major parts of Rourkela including Civil Township suffered extensive power disruption.
He claimed TPWODL staff worked overtime to restore power supply in most of the affected areas of Rourkela by Thursday late afternoon. Restoration works at other places are underway.