The ongoing power crisis in Karnah has worsened this winter, leaving residents with only four hours of electricity per day. Frustrated consumers are now protesting against the electricity department. Reports indicate an 80% reduction in power supply in both the Teetwal and Tangdar blocks, even as winter demand rises by 15% annually.
Previously, the Teetwal block received power from the local Pingla Hari Dal project, which had only one operational megawatt out of its two-megawatt capacity. However, this project is now completely non-functional, forcing Teetwal to rely on the Armpura Grid Station, just like Tangdar. As a result, the current power crisis has reached unprecedented levels, breaking all past records.
In many villages, voltage levels are so low that even a candle’s light seems brighter than an electric bulb. The situation is particularly distressing for school children who struggle to study at night and for traders whose businesses depend on electricity. The shift to online systems for office work, from credit card transactions to DOB applications, has also been severely impacted by frequent outages.
Adding to the problem, the electricity transmission system in Karnah is in shambles. Many villages still rely on makeshift poles for power lines, and transformer capacities have not been upgraded despite population growth. Some areas that require 100 kV transformers are still operating with outdated 60 kV transformers, leading to frequent overloads and power disruptions.
Moreover, residents are grappling with electricity bill payments. While some consumers manage to pay online, many lack smartphones and do not receive payment notifications from the Power Development Department (PDD). Previously, physical electricity bills were delivered to homes, enabling timely payments. However, with the shift to an online system, many have accumulated bills running into thousands of rupees.
Consumers are now urging the department to reinstate home delivery of electricity bills, as they face difficulties in making online payments.