Residents of Baner-Balewadi in Pune have organized a protest against the recent spate of power cuts in their areas, which have become particularly severe amid the ongoing summer heat. The demonstration is scheduled for Saturday at 6pm at Signet Corner, Balewadi Phata.
Residents Express Frustration with MSEDCL
According to local residents, officials from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) have largely been unresponsive during sudden power outages. Consumers are often not informed about faults in the system when they occur. Sarang Wable, a member of the Baner-Balewadi-Pashan Residents Association, stated, "We are forced to take this extreme step as there is no respite from these outages, despite repeated follow-ups with officials. There has to be a permanent solution from the utility’s side."
Approximately 150 residents are expected to participate in the protest. They noted that similar issues are being faced in Pashan and Mahalunge as well. Gopendra Pataskar, a resident of Baner, emphasized, "It is the responsibility of the power company to compensate consumers for all the damage done to various gadgets and equipment due to the constant poor quality of electricity supply."
Formal Complaints Filed
Members of the Balewadi residential society Sai Silicon Valley have already filed a written complaint with the MSEDCL executive engineer in Aundh regarding the repeated power failures. They are also considering approaching the consumer grievance redressal forum to escalate the matter further. Residents near Balewadi High Street experienced a 12-hour power cut on May 11, followed by a six-hour outage the next day. Many have pointed out the extreme discomfort and risk of illness caused by the power cuts amid the ongoing heatwave.
