Uttarakhand Power Corporation limited (UPCl) officials claimed to have taken several measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the Ardh Kumbh Mela.
The Ardh Kumbh Mela has started from January 1 and would continue till the end of April involving a number of key snan dates when millions of pilgrims are expected to throng Haridwar and other areas of the State that are located within the expanded map of the mega religious congregation.
In order to redress the electricity- related public complaints, UPCl has set up a control room at laljiwala, Haridwar and a telephone number 01334-221631 has been released for the same purpose. The Mela areas have been divided into 19 sectors and adequate numbers of power officials have been deputed at each of them to ensure that the assurance is duly acted upon.
Haridwar (Ardh Kumbh) chief engineer (distribution) RS Burfal held a meeting with the power department offices in Haridwar on Monday and directed them to ensure that they make all the necessary arrangements for uninterrupted power supply during the entire period of Ardh Kumbh Mela.
He has instructed the power officers not to leave their assigned stations a day before and after the key scheduled snans. For the remaining days, they must not leave their stations before 11 pm. The assistant engineers have been directed to take all possible measures to avoid power- related accidents. The officers have been asked to inform the control room once they face the situations warranting power supply shutdown.
Besides, the assistant engineers have been directed to check whether there is a need of shutdown or not. Emergency situation like possible terror strike should also be kept in mind while doing the mela duty, the senior engineer asked the assistant engineers. An alternative power arrangement should be made in case of a fault at particular line to ensure that no power outage ensues. As far as street lights are concerned, the power officers have been directed to ensure that all the generators put into use are operational round the clock.
An UPCl official said that to prevent power cuts during the Ardh Kumbh in Haridwar, power upto about 1 MU will be purchased in case of emergency from Indian Energy Exchanges to fill deficit.
At departmental control room, a toll free number 18001804009 has been released for the people and people’s complaints related to power will be redressed promptly by the power officials deputed there, he added.