Complaints lead to DVB transfers

NEW DELHI, July 1: DVB Chairman Navin Chawla today announced the transfer of several senior officers in the administration following numerou...

int(3)

NEW DELHI, July 1: DVB Chairman Navin Chawla today announced the transfer of several senior officers in the administration following numerous complaints of power breakdown in the Capital. The DVB seems to have tacitly accepted that there is a power crisis in the city even though senior DVB officials were maintaining that there was no “large-scale” power problem just two days ago.

Following complaints of erratic power supply from Rajinder Nagar, Shankar Road, Karol Bagh and Vikaspuri, the DVB chief deputed G.P. Goel Chief Engineer to monitor and supervise the supply in Central Delhi.

O.P. Chawla has taken over as the new Additional Chief Engineer (Central). The DVB chief has deputed an additional Chief Engineer for Jahangirpuri as its residents have been going without power since a long time. The Chief Engineer (D-1), who was in charge of three circles, will now be responsible for East and South Delhi.

Story continues below this ad

Residents of Vikaspuri had taken to the streets last evening after over 17 hours of power cuts in the area. Agitated Delhiites blocked traffic at the Outer Ring Road for a couple of hours.

The streets of Janakpuri witnessed protests by agitated residents late last evening. P.P. Handa, president of A3 Welfare Association, Janakpuri said: “We have had no electricity since 4 a.m. Also, there are no DVB officials to take down our complaints and no ministers to solve our problems. I have tried to contact just about everyone.”

DVB officials said that the breakdown was because of overloading of power transformers at the Mayapuri and Nangloi grids. Therefore load-shedding was being conducted in areas like Janakpuri, Hari Nagar, Rajouri Garden, Mundka village, Punjabi Bagh, Karol Bagh, Jhandewalan and other areas. In the Wazirpur Industrial Area there has been no electricity since Sunday afternoon, complained Gaurav Manchanda, owner of a carton box factory. Last week saw long power cuts as well, he added.

V.K. Keshav, general secretary of the Vikas Vihar Welfare Association, said that they have had no electricity since 8 a.m. in Vikas Vihar, Vani Vihar, Vijay Vihar, New Uttam Nagar, Santosh Park, Sanjay Enclave and the adjoining areas of Uttam Nagar. He complained that the DVB authorities have not responded in spite of repeated complaints.

Story continues below this ad

Sandhya Bhatia of Rajender Nagar said there has been no power since 10 a.m. twday. She added that yesterday’s cut lasted 18 hours. Officials said that the power situation of Rajinder Nagar was likely to improve tomorrow after the installation of a transformer in the area.

Meanwhile in the ITO area today, there was no power for three hours in the afternoon. Residents of Paharganj also complained of long power cuts. “The supply is cut for two hours in the morning from 8.30 to 10.30. It goes off for an hour and a half.”