New Delhi: In Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh, it has been a cruel summer. Not just because of the soaring temperatures but also because of power cuts across the state.
LocalCircles, a community-based social media platform, conducted a survey in which residents were asked about the frequency of power outages they faced on a daily basis in July 2023. Shockingly, out of the 4,206 who responded to this question, 74 per cent reported experiencing daily power outages during the month, and 55 per cent said they endure three or more outages per day.
M Devraj, head of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), acknowledged a dire financial crisis in the state power sector. In June 2023, he admitted that the accumulated losses amounted to nearly Rs 1 lakh crore, the LocalCircles report says. The chief then acknowledged the need to recover from it, adding that the corporation plans to improve the metering and billing procedures and reduce line losses caused by power thefts.
The deteriorating financial condition of the UPPCL is considered to be a possible reason for the inadequate infrastructure and the Yogi government’s inability to handle the increasing demand for electricity. As a result, experts say, the frequency of power outages has shot up.
It all started in June 2023 when temperatures soared across North India and electricity consumption surged. Lucknow residents have been expressing their grievances on multiple social media platforms over the last few weeks — The Times of India reported that the Aashiana area in the city experienced power cuts of over five hours per day last week. Despite the monsoon lowering the temperature, residents have had to struggle with the sultry weather.
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A more complex picture
LocalCircles conducted its July 2023 survey across UP and received an overwhelming response from over 8,000 citizens residing in 51 districts of the state; the number of responses for each query varied. While 70 per cent of them were men, 30 per cent were women.
The survey mentions that 13 per cent of respondents rarely experienced any power cuts, and the rest faced a varying frequency of blackouts. It reveals a complex picture of UP residents’ struggle with power outages. Among the 74 per cent who experienced power outages daily, 19 per cent reported power was cut 1-2 times a day, another 19 per cent put the figure at 3-5 times, 30 per cent at 6-10 times, and an unfortunate 6 per cent even experienced over 20 outages a day. Some respondents (13 per cent) were blissfully unaware of the situation as they reported having a 24×7 power backup.
The survey further inquired about the duration of the power outages on each day. Of those surveyed, 36 per cent still have to bear outages lasting over 2 hours daily, though the situation has improved since June 2023 when the figure stood at 74 per cent. And even for those who experienced power cuts for up to 2 hours — 46 per cent of the respondents — it was still a challenging ordeal.
Beyond the excuse of extreme weather conditions, LocalCircles’ survey results highlight structural inadequacies in UP’s power infrastructure. It showed that despite India’s efforts to generate sufficient electricity for every city, district, and village in the country, last-mile supplies remain distressed with disruptions.
The residents of UP continue to battle the tough summer as power outages make the situation unbearable for them. For the few who have an uninterrupted power supply or live in well-developed areas, the issue isn’t too pressing. But the majority who have to endure the heat and humidity every day lie in wait for the Yogi government to act fast.
(Edited by Humra Laeeq)