Power Department Faces Negligence Allegations; Karlakhamar Village Without Electricity for 15 Days

Sinapali, July 2 Residents of Karlakhamar village under Sinapali block in Odisha’s Nuapada district have been left without electricity for the past 15 days, forcing the entire village into darkness. The prolonged power outage, caused by a burnt main power line, has triggered widespread resentment among villagers, who allege negligence on the part of the Electricity Department. Despite repeated complaints, both written and verbal, the department has allegedly failed to provide a permanent solution. Villagers claim they have received only assurances while the damaged power line remains unrepaired, compelling them to approach the local electricity office in protest. The prolonged disruption has severely affected normal life in the village. Students are struggling to study after sunset, while elderly people, women, and children are facing significant hardships. Essential services such as drinking water supply, mobile phone charging, and small businesses have also been adversely affected. With the ongoing monsoon season, residents say the absence of street lighting has increased the risk of encounters with snakes and other venomous creatures. According to the villagers, they had repeatedly informed the Sinapali Electricity Department about the issue, but no concrete action was taken to replace the burnt power line or restore electricity. As a result, dissatisfaction with the department’s functioning has continued to grow. In response, a delegation led by local youth leader Dr. Pradeep Kumar Pradhan, along with Mahesh Banjara, Dhananjay, Nepal, Pustam, Bhujbal, Lingaraj, Pintu, and Subas Banjara, met the Junior Engineer at the Sinapali Electricity Office and demanded immediate restoration of power supply. Following the discussion, the Junior Engineer assured the delegation that the burnt power line would be replaced and electricity restored within the next four days. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Pradhan termed the department’s prolonged inaction “highly unfortunate” and said leaving villagers in darkness for over two weeks reflected serious administrative negligence. He warned that if electricity is not restored within the promised timeframe, the villagers would launch a peaceful public protest, and the Electricity Department would be held responsible for the consequences. The residents have also appealed to the district administration and senior officials of the Electricity Department to intervene immediately and ensure a permanent solution so that uninterrupted power supply can be restored to the village at the earliest.