Unscheduled power outages dragging for nearly three to four hours have become a routine affair here over the past few days, forcing the people to face harrowing time. The long spells of power-cuts add to the suffering caused by the grueling heat and humidity prevailing in the region for some days.
The electricity supply that went off around 1 pm on Tuesday could be restored only around 4 pm in different parts of Haldwani, including Gasgodam Road, Kushumkhera, Kaladhungio Road areas, to name a few places.
According to the figures provided by the Uttarakhand Power Corporation limited (UPCl), whereas gross availability of power in Uttarakhand is around 32.82 million unit (mu) per day -about 14.64 mu per day from domestic sources, about 15.10 mu per day from Central pool and rest about 3.08 mu per day from other sources, the demand for power has gone up to 36.70 mu per day in the hill state, resulting in the shortfall. The deficit might go up in correspondence with the increased demand unless rains bring down the mercury and the level of humidity.
Compounding on the woes, the log spells of unscheduled power cuts have triggered drinking water crisis with the supply becoming erratic, particularly in the urban areas which are mostly dependent on power-driven drinking water distribution system.