Frequent power cuts make life unbearable in Satkhira

Frequent load-shedding has turned the life of Satkhira townspeople unbearable this  summer.
Due to an unprecedented rate of power outage, people are experiencing about 15 hours' load-shedding every day.
For the last 7-10 days, a heat wave has been sweeping across the district, of which the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinees are the worst sufferers.
Load-shedding has added to the woes of some 18,000 students taking the examinations from the district this year.
The district's irrigation network remains mostly inoperative because of frequent power outage, sources said.
In the wake of the ongoing power crisis, Satkhira Bar Association members recently laid a siege to the local electricity office, demanding uninterrupted power supply and removal of the inefficient electricity officials.
During the programme, the association members alleged that Satkhira electricity officials have intentionally created load-shedding through a conspiracy to undermine the image of the government and put the people in extreme sufferings.
Power department sources said the total number of electricity consumers in Satkhira is now 1.45 lakh.
Of them, clients of the PDB are 22,000 including 16,000 residential ones.
The number of commercial and other types of clients is 5,200.
Besides, there are 800 power pumps being operated in the district.
On the other hand, the number of consumers of Rural Electrification Board (REB) is 1.23 lakh.
Of them, residential clients are 1.05 lakh while commercial and industrial clients are 15,735.
Besides, the number of power pumps run under REB is 365.
Sources said, daily demand of electricity in Satkhira district is 50MW to 54MW. But the district gets far less than its requirement.
If power is not made available, production of boro will be affected this year and the farmers will have to bear the brunt, said sources in agriculture office.