PATHSALA, Sept 18: Frequent power cuts in Bajali in Barpeta district of Assam have become the order of the day. People are spending sleepless nights in this sweltering summer due to long hours of load shedding. For people of Bajali, power has become a ‘blink-and-you-miss-me-affair’. On Monday, the locals of the area gheraoed the office of the Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) for failure of the authority concerned to restore power on the day of Vishwakarma Puja. The situation turned violent after the irate locals threw stones at the office of the APDCL in Pathsala town. Security forces, including CRPF and police personnel, have been deployed in the area.
The angry locals also blocked the road approaching the APDCL office and burnt tyres on the road. The public also observed blockade on the Pathsala-Hawly road. The Subdivisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Bajali subdivision visited the area to take stock of the situation. There has been no power in Pathsala for the last 7-8 hours. The locals came out to the street to raise voice against the failure of the power department. Angry locals started gathering in front of the APDCL since 6 pm on Tuesday evening.
The authorities concerned assured that the power could be restored only after 11 pm on Tuesday. Till filing of this report, power connection was yet to be restored in Bajali subdivision. No power supply dampened the festivity on the day of Vishwakarma Puja in Pathsala.