For 90-year-old Radha Sethi, the long power cuts in Sector 11, Noida, could prove fatal. The cardiac patient is dependent on a pacemaker to keep her heart pumping, which is prone to malfunctioning under high temperatures.
Narendra Sethi, her son, has no option but to take her on long drives to give her some relief from the sweltering heat and humidity.
He told City Spidey that they were experiencing six- to eight-hour-long power cuts a day, which he attributed to a lack of power-line maintenance. He recently had to take his mother on a four-hour-long drive so she could relax.
Narendra Sethi has his own share of health problems. He suffers from sleep apnoea, which means is dependent on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), an electrical apparatus that helps him breathe properly while sleeping. With the erratic power supply the sector witnesses, it has been months since he has had a good night's sleep.
Meanwhile, there seems to be no end to the power crisis for residents of Sector 11 with the contractual staff of Noida discom on an indefinite strike over the issues of non-payment of salary.
The employees have already issued an ultimatum saying they won’t report to duty till they receive their dues.
Another resident of the sector, RG Srivastava, an advocate in the Supreme Court, threatened to file a public interest litigation (PIL) against the UPPCL, Noida Authority and UP Government in the Allahabad High Court if they fail to restore power supply immediately.
Pointing out that there was a 12-hour power cut starting 7 pm, he said that if the authorities fail to provide this basic amenity to the citizens, they do not deserve to stay in power.
“I will continue to fight for this basic right up to the apex court,” he asserted.
