Power outages have become a regular phenomenon in Rajibpur upazila
adding to sufferings of the people during the current summer. People’s
woes have mounted because of hot temperature as two power stations of
the region have remained shut.
Random load shedding has recently prompted the electricity consumers
to go for demonstration to push for immediate uninterrupted power
supply.
Works at the government and non-government offices and educational
institutions are being hampered due to intermittent power supply.
People of all ages, mostly children and old aged ones, are being
attacked with various diseases, including fever, due to the ongoing
hot weather aggravated by absence of electricity. People with the
diseases are thronging the upazila hospital for treatment daily.
Doctors and nurses in the hospital are facing difficulty in managing
the excessive pressure of patients.
Local Palli Bidyut Samity (PBS) office sources said the total number
of household electricity connections in the upazila is 13,000. There
is a demand for six megawatts of electricity in the upazila daily as
there are two bakeries, 50 rice mills, eight shallow and deep tube
wells, added the sources.
But the PBS supplies only two and a half megawatts daily, of which
brunt the traders also have to bear highly.
Moin Ali, a battery charger shop owner, said due to frequent load
shedding, their production has come down to half. As a result, they
cannot supply products to the customers in time and the payment
remains due.
It has become tough to survive in the competitive market running
generators with high cost, he said further.
Rice trader and miller Abu Taher Mondal said due to lack of power
supply, production of rice is decreasing.
If they cannot run business properly this season, it might be risky
for their income of the whole year.
Sarwardy, Rajibpur Palli Bidyut Samity in-charge, said load shedding
has increased as two power stations of the region remained shut. The
problem will be solved immediately, he hoped.
An official of the Samity, seeking anonymity, said the power supply in
the upazila is controlled from the Sherpur-Bakshiganj Power Station.
It is also a cause of load shedding.
Rajibpur Upazila Project Implementation Officer Sirajuddaula said
though power cuts are increasing, price of electricity is also rising
day by day. -UNB, Kurigram
