Lucknow: In view of the monsoon season and the increased risk of power-related faults, the Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam has imposed a blanket ban on leave for all its employees until September 30. The directive, issued by the corporation’s Managing Director, aims to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply and quick response to disruptions triggered by heavy rains and stormy weather.
Sources in the power department said that the decision was prompted by the rise in complaints of faults and outages during recent downpours. With the state’s power infrastructure under stress, officials believe the presence of full field staff is crucial for maintaining services during this critical period.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister A.K. Sharma has hit back at Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav for his recent criticism of the power situation in the state. In a statement, Sharma said that both the Congress and the Samajwadi Party have suddenly developed a concern for electricity — a sector they neglected during their long tenures in power.
“If they had paid even a quarter of the attention they are giving now to electricity issues while they were in government, the BJP wouldn't have inherited such a broken-down power system,” the minister remarked.
Sharma further accused the opposition of circulating fake and misleading videos to paint a picture of power mismanagement. He claimed that viral videos from Ballia, Mathura, and Sultanpur showing alleged outages and protests have been found to be fabricated or tampered with.
Highlighting achievements during his tenure, Sharma said that over the past three years, 1.59 lakh kilometers of old and hazardous electric wires have been replaced, and 29 lakh new electric poles have been installed. He also pointed out that comprehensive upgrades have been carried out across all areas of the power distribution system to improve reliability and safety.
The developments come amid growing public complaints over irregular power supply, especially in rural and semi-urban regions, where monsoon-related damage to infrastructure remains a recurring challenge.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
