 |
|
Activists of Dhubri unit of BJP and schoolchildren demonstrate in front of the town’s sub-divisional ASEB office on Thursday. Picture by UB Photos |
Dhubri, March 14: Nearly 3,000 activists of Dhubri town mondal (unit) of the BJP and many residents of the town today took out a rally here and staged a demonstration in front of Dhubri sub-divisional Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) office against acute power crisis in the district.
The BJP alleges that frequent power cuts have not only affected trade and industrial sectors but also students as there is hardly any power supply during evening.
The party said nearly 9,000 traders and 6,000 owners of smallscale industries had been incurring losses because of erratic power supply for the past couple of months.
“The owners of automobile repair shops in Dhubri district have downed shutters in the past few weeks as welding is not possible without electricity,” Bhudar Singh, a garage owner of Gauripur, said.
BJP leader Debamoy Sanyal blamed the government for its failure to provide power to traders and businessmen as well as residents of the town.
“How can businessmen operate and people survive in such a situation? Life has become a hell without power supply, but the government in Dispur is totally deaf to our demands,” Sanyal said.
He warned that the party would intensify protests if power supply in the district does not improve soon.
An official source in Gouripur ASEB division expressed inability and helplessness. They are not getting adequate supply from Kahilipara power distribution centre.
An official said Dhubri district comprises five subdivisions —Dhubri, Gouripur, Bilasipara, Golokganj and Agomoni. It requires 20MW of power during peak hours and 14MW during non-peak hours, but Dhubri is supplied only 3-4MW on an average.
A move had been planned by traders to close down shops and industries if the government did not improve power supply within a couple of days, a source said.
Various trade, commerce and industrial associations also joined today’s protest against frequent power failure in the towns and district.
| 
