Hazaribag: BJP legislators from Hazaribag and Barkagaon, Pradip Prasad and Roshan Lal Choudhary, on Friday threatened to launch a public agitation if the power scenario across the district did not improve within the next 72 hours. As public resentment continued to grow over erratic power supply and low-voltage issues, the lawmakers met Dinesh Kumar, general manager of the Hazaribag Circle of the state-run discom Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL), and demanded that the situation be improved at the earliest.
Prasad and Choudhary said that frequent outages, prolonged unscheduled power cuts, and voltage fluctuations had thrown life out of gear in urban and rural areas amid rising mercury levels. Prasad stated that assurances were no longer enough and urged the department to deliver results on the ground. “If the power situation does not improve within the next 72 hours, a large-scale agitation will be launched with public participation,” he said.
“Daily lives have been hit. Students are not being able to study. Businesses are taking a hit, and stalled irrigation work is affecting farmers. Complaints are coming from both Hazaribag city and rural areas,” Prasad added. Choudhary highlighted that low-voltage problems had assumed serious proportions in several Barkagaon villages, making the supply largely inadequate. The legislators demanded the replacement of worn-out power lines, installation of additional transformers, and an immediate halt to unscheduled power cuts.
Dinesh Kumar acknowledged the seriousness of the issue, stating that the department was working on a war footing, with teams deployed and efforts underway to improve supply within 24 hours. “The department is working towards ensuring at least 22 hours of uninterrupted power in Hazaribag,” he informed the legislators. The lawmakers have given a 72-hour ultimatum, after which they will mobilize public support for a district-wide agitation if no visible improvement is seen.
About the Author: Vishvendu Jaipuriar covers Hazaribag and Chatra districts, focusing on crime, politics, and human interest stories. He has covered programs of prominent national and regional leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during their visits to Hazaribag and Chatra. He also covered the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak case in depth, with a focus on Hazaribag as a key epicenter.
