The Calcutta Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) on Tuesday issued a statement explaining that power supply to several parts of Kolkata had been deliberately switched off as a matter of “abundant caution” due to extreme waterlogging following the incessant rainfall that left the city submerged and claimed multiple lives.
“As a matter of abundant caution considering public safety, due to extreme water-logging as a result of incessant rainfall, supply to certain areas continues to be kept switched off proactively by us. We shall be able to restore power only when we are informed by the appropriate authorities that the water has receded to safer levels,” CESC posted on X.
The company clarified that street light poles and traffic lights are not owned, maintained or managed by it.
“Our team is working round the clock, monitoring the situation and we are in touch with all appropriate authorities at all times. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to you. Kindly bear with us. Please take care and continue to stay safe,” the utility added.
The statement came even as the death toll from electrocution in the city rose to eight, with live wires snapping and falling into waterlogged streets across neighbourhoods.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee blamed CESC for the fatalities and the prolonged power outage in large parts of Kolkata.
“CESC has to take responsibility for these deaths. They should deploy more people,” Mamata told a private Bengali news channel. “They are doing business here. But modernisation of facilities is being done in Rajasthan. Despite repeated reminders they are not taking it up here. I am tired of telling them.”
The chief minister said she had directly called CESC chairman Sanjiv Goenka to raise concerns about open electric wires across the city.
She urged the company to provide jobs to the kin of the deceased. “If they cannot, the Bengal government will stand by the families,” she said.
“Today, due to CESC’s negligence, those who died of electrocution in Kolkata, we extend our deepest condolences to their families. No compensation can ever make up for death, and there is no substitute for life. Even so, we will ensure a job for one member of each family. I am also asking CESC to provide compensation. I have spoken to CESC. Along with our heartfelt condolences, the families deserve this compensation as well,” the chief minister said in a post on X.
Mamata also complained that senior CESC officials were not reachable despite repeated attempts.
“No one needs to step out today. I will request the private sector to look at the situation in a humanitarian way. Flood water has entered the homes of many people. Nobody knows where a live wire is. Life comes first,” she added.
Power outages began in the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday when heavy overnight rainfall inundated the city.
Though the downpour relented briefly, the city remained submerged under floodwater, and large swathes continued without electricity.
The combination of extreme waterlogging and electricity disruption has once again exposed the dangers of severe weather in Kolkata, with residents battling both floodwaters and the looming risk of live wires.
