Frequent power cuts on Eid triggers protests by locals in Bhatkal

Bhatkal 6 June 2019:(Bhatkallys News Bureau) Irked by the frequent power cuts in the last few days of Ramadan and on the prevailing night of Eid, a group of people from Muslim community protested outside HESCOM's office here on Wednesday. A group of youngsters led by social workers and community leaders went straight to the HESCOM office after offering Eid prayers and protested against the power cuts and demanded action including suspension of some of the higher officers of HESCOM in Bhatkal. The protesters added that this has become the case for every year now as the department cuts the power supply in the town in the last couple of days of Ramadan and the prevailing night of the Eid causing severe inconvenience to the people. Officials of HESCOM however maintained that the power cut on Tuesday night was due to a problem in 110KV Unit in Kumta as the repair work was being undertaken it had effected the power supply in the region. Bhatkal Tahsildar N B Patel, reached the spot and assured the protesters of discussing the matter and conveying their demands to the deputy commissioner at the earliest. Security arrangements were also put in place outside HESCOM office in the wake of the protests on Wednesday. The frequent power supply disruption became the talk of the town on social media platforms after power supply was taken down in town on prevailing nights of Tuesday and Wednesday, with locals alleging that it was an deliberate move by the department to cause inconvenience to the people. (Bhatkallys News Bureau)