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Planned, pre-advertised power-cuts short circuit lives and livelihoods
View(s):Power-cuts in the past two weeks had caused business losses and left students studying by candlelight, enraged residents and business owners in the Nugegoda, Wijerama and Borelesgamuwa areas complained.
The Lanka Electricity Co. (Private) Ltd (LECO) states the power-cuts were pre-advertised and were for planned maintenance work. However, residents claimed they were not informed.
E. Dilrukshi: Manager of a small restaurant suffered losses
E. Dilrukshi, a 42-year-old mother of two from Piliyandala, manages a small restaurant in Delkanda. She said that frequent power-cuts in the area has caused business losses.
“It gets unbearably hot, and is very difficult to stay inside our shops during the day. Customers are reluctant to sit and eat something without the fans switched on. Also, along with bakery products, we sell fresh fruit juice too. But without electricity we cannot operate the juicer,” she said, adding that, when there is no power the food inside the fridges gets spoilt.
“When ice cream melts, it does not taste the same after refreezing. The customers complain when this happens,” she added.
S. Nicolas, 25, an employee at a food outlet in Wijerama, said that, without the exhaust fan their shop fills with smoke. This causes severe discomfort to both patrons and employees due to the lack of proper ventilation.
He added that there are occasions when power-cuts last as long as two to three hours.
“It is difficult to work without electricity as most equipment, including the weighing machine and cash register are electronic,” Mr Nicolas said.
S. Nicolas: Food outlet employee inconvenienced by frequent power cuts
Sriyani Karunaratne, a 45-year-old mother of three, who runs a laundry in Wijerama, is one of the most affected. as power-cuts are without prior motice.
“Sometimes, the power-cuts take place while the machines are in operation. Clothes left soaking inside washing machines get spoilt and smell. Sometimes, we hand-wash them when this happens. But, there are instances when customers complain,” she said.
Ms Karunaratne added that on numerous occasions they had been unable to have the clothes ready on time.
Not just business persons, but students too face severe difficulties when the power supply is disrupted in the night. Malika Dilini, a 23-yer-old undergraduate from Anuradhapura, is presently studying at the National School of Business Management (NSBM) for her second semester exam.
“On Sunday night there was a power-cut while I was studying. I tried studying by candlelight, but couldn’t stay inside my boarding room because it was extremely hot,” she said.
Meanwhile, Channa Karunarathne, General Manager of a well patronised retail garment shop in Borelesgamuwa, said that power-cuts have caused business losses. He said that, though they own a generator, it was out of order when the power supply was interrupted last week.
Laundries the worst affected by power cuts. Pix by Ranjith Perera
“Power is interrupted mostly in the night. As a clothing shop, this is hard on us because most of our customers come after office hours. In addition, there are instances of shoplifting during these power-cuts. It is almost impossible to detect shoplifting on such occasions,” Mr Karunaratne said.
He said that LECO should act more responsibly and inform the public beforehand.
“It doesn’t matter if the power-cut is short lived or for several hours. We should be forewarned, because our business relies on sales. If there isn’t sufficient light inside, customers don’t buy clothes and shoplifting adds to our losses,” he concluded.
However, LECO General Manager, Sunil Somathilake said that they have informed residents and businesses in the areas concerned regarding these interruptions.
“The power-cuts in the recent past were due to planned maintenance work, some of which was following requests made by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB),” he said.
Meanwhile, due to the replacement of a Rs 75 million transformer grid in Jayawardhanapura Kotte, this midyear, over whose installation the CEB took several months, residents of Nugegoda, Udahamulla and Wijerama areas were subject to uninformed power-cuts.
CEB officials said that the transformer is in operation and the power-cuts residents experience these days is due to maintenance work.