Power outages disrupt public life, students worried in Ramgarh
Ramgarh (Khagrachari) Correspondent
Power outages have become a daily problem in Ramgarh upazila of Khagrachari district. There has been no improvement in the power problem year after year, but instead, ordinary electricity users say they are facing various problems day after day, especially during the hot season.
Sometimes, the people of this upazila have to remain without power for two to four days. It seems that the power supply is cut off whenever there is light wind or rain, which has become the schedule of the authorities. However, although there is some power supply during the winter months of the year, the rest of the time is spent in extreme misery and despair.
Many people believe that the power problem is the main obstacle to the development of the ancient former subdivisional city of Ramgarh in terms of environment. The power outage has dragged down everything, including infrastructure development, education, medical services, business and commerce.
It is learnt that around nine thousand electricity consumers in 27 wards of two unions and one municipality of the upazila are covered under this service. These people who have availed this service on a large scale also have a mountain of complaints.
Md. Shamsul Haque Dulal, a resident of Khagrabil area of Ramgarh Sadar UP, said that electricity is available day after day, but the bill is more than the reading - the electricity office never checks the meter, and they hand over fabricated bills at the end of the month. Thousands of people have such complaints against the Ramgarh Electricity Supply Office.
Also, despite numerous complaints of system loss, technical defects, and mismanagement, no steps have been taken to alleviate the suffering.
Last, from April 19 to April 22, electricity supply was cut off in Jagannathpara area of Ward No. 2 of Ramgarh Municipality, said businessman Fakir Ahmed. The locals have been without electricity there for three consecutive days.
At one point, when they went to surround the electricity office, the electricity department had to face artillery fire. Later, the authorities assured that they would fix it soon. At the same time, there has been intense anger in the Taichalapara area of Ward No. 6 of the municipality due to the power supply being cut off for the last 5 days, especially in the ongoing SSC exam studies, parents are saying that there is a possibility of huge losses.
SSC candidates in the area are unable to study due to lack of power. Ghota village has been immersed in darkness for the last 4-5 days, said the Taichalapara locals, who tried to contact the Ramgarh Electricity Department engineer to talk about this, but could not be reached on the phone. However, an employee of the office, who did not want to be named, said that power lines have been activated in two areas without power since Thursday.
There are temporary difficulties due to damage to some lines and transformers due to the Baisakhi storm weather, who will be fixed soon.
On the other hand, people from all walks of life in Ramgarh are demanding that if uninterrupted power supply and no load shedding are not ensured soon, they will soon launch a program like besieging the electricity office, wrote a user named Md. Shahjahan on Facebook.
