Koppal: Several residents from Koppal city and district reported that the Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company Limited (Gescom) seems to have implemented unscheduled powercuts over the last three months, coinciding with the start of the monsoon.Every day, power outages occur across nearly all areas of the district, often without any advance notice. These outages can last from 15 minutes to over two hours and occur eight to twelve times daily. The reason behind these frequent interruptions remains unclear.“When I try to contact the local lineman, he rarely answers the phone,” states Pushpa Nilogal, a resident of Shivashanthveer Nagar in the city. “I have spoken with relatives and friends in other neighbourhoods, and they have also confirmed the occurrence of unscheduled power outages,” she insists.According to Gescom’s statistics, the annual per capita electricity consumption in Koppal district stands at 658.1 kw. “When we are conducting emergency works, including wire and feeder replacements, it will result in power supply disruptions. We request customers to cooperate,” remarks Gescom assistant executive engineer Syed Yunus. However, he is noncommittal when questioned about the possibility of providing advance notice regarding power cuts.Power outages are being executed continuously under the guise of maintenance. During the monsoon season, even a slight breeze or drizzle leads to an immediate power shutdown. This issue is prevalent in both urban and rural settings.“Our feeders, network, and infrastructure are inadequate and weak. Therefore, even minor fluctuations in power or conditions such as wind and rain lead to complications,” clarifies Rajesh Kumar Jadhav, assistant executive engineer responsible for the Bhagyanagar line.Nevertheless, the public is sceptical of this justification. “If the infrastructure is outdated, shouldn’t it be upgraded? Shouldn’t consumers be informed that this is also a contributing factor to the power outages?” questions Pushpa Nilogal.“Why are there 10 to 12 power cuts each day, lasting from 15 minutes to 2-3 hours? Instead, they could shut down the power supply for an entire day to carry out repairs,” she insists.During a consumer meeting in Koppal on Aug 16, when Pushpa Nilogal posed her question, assistant executive engineer Syed Yunus failed to provide a satisfactory response. He promised that he would take measures to prevent such issues from arising in her area in the future.“Given these circumstances, there is a growing suspicion that the remaining electricity is being allocated to large industries or sold to other states,” says Nagaraj P, who owns a woodworking business in Bhagyanagar. This sentiment has been echoed by numerous residents of Koppal.Nagaraj explains that unscheduled power outages are rare in the neighbourhoods where district administration officials, police personnel, and elected representatives reside. Likewise, industrial zones do not experience power cut issues either.When approached for comments, Gescom engineers chose to remain silent, failing to provide any explanations for the ongoing power outages.
