PUDUCHERRY: The traders and small vendors of Muthialpet area on Monday resorted to a road blockade to protest power cuts.
The traders, led by Vanigar Sangam leaders of Muthialpet, Pramasivam and Thangamnai, sat on the road in front of the Muthialpet market in protest against the indifference of the electricity department officials to the frequent power interruptions in the area.
Paramasivam pointed out that the thickly populated area experiences frequent blackouts during day and night and this affects the residents, traders and small vendors equally. Pointing out to the power cut from 9.30 pm on Sunday night, he said the residents and school children could not get proper sleep as the power supply was resumed only at 3.30 am on Monday morning. The power supply in other parts of town like Lawspet was interrupted after rains on Sunday night. Paramasivam said several representations were submitted pointing out the necessity to install a transformer to augment power supply but the electricity department was yet to take action in this regard.
Following the protest, the traffic on the stretch leading to Kottakuppam on the ECR was affected for nearly half an hour. Police and electricity department officials rushed to the spot. Assistant engineer Senthil Kumar held talks with the traders and assured them steps are being taken to rectify the power supply problems.
A little away, CPM activists led by Saravanan, Paari, R Rajangam, staged a demonstration in front of the Electricity Department office demanding setting up powerful transformers to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the area. They pointed out to the problems faced by the school students, elderly people in the wake of frequent power cuts, which happen almost on daily basis. They also submitted a petition inviting the authorities to look into the issue and rectify it at the earliest.