Hazaribag: Local MP Manish Jaiswal on Friday at an emergency meeting reprimanded officials of the power department, Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) and transmission units, over frequent power cuts in Hazaribag amid the severe heatwave conditions.At the meeting held at the circuit house, the MP expressed strong displeasure over extended load shedding and accused DVC of diverting power in the open market.“If electricity supply to your own house is cut for a few hours, you will understand the pain of the public,” he told officials, asking them to ensure immediate improvement in supply. He also directed to coordinate officials with DVC’s Kolkata headquarters to secure an additional 10 MW supply for the Banaso substation.Sources said that there is a gap between the district’s demand of around 130 MW and the current supply.Officials told the MP that the under-construction grids at Vishnugarh and Barkagaon are expected to become operational within the next two-and-a-half to three months, which would reduce dependence on DVC. They also assured that steps would be taken on priority to stabilise power supply.The MP stressed on the need for long-term solutions such as underground wiring and self-reliant power generation, similar to larger states.Ravi Ranjan Singh, a Hazaribag resident and businessman, rued that his entire locality in Vishnupuri is facing continuous power cuts for many days. “This is the story every year during summer. Things are going from bad to worse,” he said.
