JAGATSINGHPUR: Upset over unscheduled power cuts, lawyer-cum social activist Basudev Sarangi climbed up a 33 kv electric pole as a mark of protest and allegedly threatened to kill himself on Thursday. Sources said on the day, following heavy rainfall in Jagatsinghpur town and other areas of this district, the power supply was disrupted for hours.
Irritated, Basudev rushed to the electrical sub-division office of TPCODL but found no staff to listen to him. He sat on a dharna demanding power supply within 10 minutes failing which he allegedly threatened to end his life by climbing up an electric pole with live wires in the office premises. Soon, he jumped the fence of the office and started to climb on the pole. Hearing this, TPCODL officials rushed to the spot and assured us to supply power in 10 minutes.
ALSO READ | Discontent brewing over power issues in Odisha
Some personnel went up the pole to rescue Basudev. “We are unable to work in the office due to frequent power cuts. Even without any reason, there is a power disruption at night in rural areas. It is high time the government came up with solutions. Be it heat or rain, power failure has become a norm and we will all protest this now,” said Basudev.
SDO, TPCODL, Jagatsinghpur Babuli Behera admitted to unscheduled power disruptions at regular intervals. “But it is for the safety of people we have to cut power. There have been snags because of the showers and strong winds. So we had to cut the supply and repair,” he said.