With temperatures rising across Uttar Pradesh and power demand expected to surge, the Uttar Pradesh government has stepped up preparedness to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply during the summer months.
Acting on chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s directions, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) chairman Ashish Goyal asked officials to remain on high alert and complete all necessary arrangements in a time-bound manner.
Chairing a meeting to review preparedness, Goyal directed officials to take preventive measures to avoid transformer failures, stressing that adequate funds had already been allocated for maintenance. He said fuses and tail-less units must be installed on all transformers, warning that any instance of transformer burnouts due to negligence would invite strict action.
Emphasising accountability, the chairman directed that responsibility be fixed for delayed or incomplete works. He warned that action should be initiated against firms where projects are lagging significantly, as well as against erring officials and junior engineers.
Goyal noted that temperatures were expected to rise further in the coming days and preparations must be made accordingly. He added that sufficient manpower was available, and power supply should be maintained as per the schedule without disruption.
Highlighting the critical role of transformers, he underlined a “zero-damage” policy and reiterated that any negligence would lead to punitive action.
Special focus was placed on the state capital, with clear instructions to ensure uninterrupted supply and prevent any instances of tripping. The chairman also stressed a zero-tolerance approach towards electrical accidents.
Power staff warn of disruptions over ‘harassment’
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Vidyut Karmachari Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti on Sunday warned that the state’s power supply could be hit during the peak summer if the alleged harassment of electricity employees was not stopped.
The warning followed a meeting of the committee’s state office-bearers in the state capital, attended by more than 1,000 employees and engineers from across the state. It was resolved that unless all disciplinary and punitive actions taken during the ongoing agitation were withdrawn immediately, the situation could escalate and impact services.
The committee cautioned that any attempt by the management to take action against employees or engineers to “cover up its failures” would force staff to halt work.
The committee also announced a statewide “Jan-Jagran Abhiyan” from April 15 to May 21, during which its central office-bearers would tour districts and hold joint meetings with consumers and farmers to mobilise support against the alleged harassment of power staff. It claimed that despite a 501-day agitation, employees had ensured uninterrupted supply and addressed consumer grievances on priority.
The committee alleged that while employees were being targeted, contractual workers were being retrenched on a large scale in the name of “vertical restructuring”, and the number of regular staff was steadily declining, which could adversely affect power supply management.
