30 protests over power crisis in past six months in Rohtak
Protests here have become order of the day. Helpless,over the power crisis, people have no other option left. According to a recent report, power starving residents of urban as well as the rural area of Rohtak district had resorted to road blockade for more than 30 times in the past six months.
Protests here have become order of the day. Helpless,over the power crisis, people have no other option left.
According to a recent report, power starving residents of urban as well as the rural area of Rohtak district had resorted to road blockade for more than 30 times in the past six months.
Though power supply is a bit better in the cities and towns of the district, people are still unhappy with the prevailing conditions.
Owing to the political clout, the people of the assembly segment wield, the role of police is no better than a mute spectator- No matter whether people torch roadways buses, block roads, assault government officials or lay blockade on rail tracks.
In the September 2 incident, protesters blocked national highway for more than ten hours, torched down a Haryana roadways bus, smashed other roadways buses, and vandalised several private vehicles, resulting in untold suffering to commuters.
Police did register a criminal case (rioting, arsoning and assault on government officials) and detained seven persons, out of which four were arrested.
A senior police official said, "Despite knowing everything, we have to be a mute spectator, as action on law offenders may not go easy with senior political bosses of the area".
Villagers who have been bearing the brunt of power crisis, feel resorting to road blockade justified, by calling it their last option to press their demands.
A villager of Sampla town said "Inverters installed at our houses have gone out of order, as voltage mostly remains low, and invertors hardly gets charged during short stint of electricity supply at night".
Another villager from Kalanaur town said "We have to suspend domestic jobs like chopping fodder for animals, milk and curd blending and other important jobs till night, and by midnight we get free and go to bed".
It is also worthy here to mention that power situation in neighboring district, Jind, Jhajjar, Mahendergarh, Bhiwani, Rewari and Sonepat is also the same.
Timeline of recent protests
September 1(Saturday night) - Residents of Ismalia village blocked national highway 10 on the frantic complaints of power shortage to their area. One roadways bus torched, another damaged including several private vehicles and police gypsy.
September 2(Sunday night) Irked over police registeration of cases and detaining of several villagers, residents of same village again blocked national highway, and blocked two trains going to New Delhi and Bhiwani for two hours.
Residents of Kharkra under Meham blocked Rohtak-Hisar road against power shortage September 2. Police booked 60 persons for creating blockade on national highway. Residents of Kultana under Beri town also blocked Sampla-Beri road for demanding electricity to their village.
September 3: Residents of Masoodpur under Meham town blocked Meham-Beri road at night. Residents of Saasroli village, Sisar Khas and Bhalot also blocked roads.