Mercury drops but power cuts dampen Delhiites' mood

The mercury may have dropped to 27 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, but frequent power cuts played a spoilsport.

"There was no electricity in our area from Monday night till Tuesday afternoon. We made many complaints to the department but no one helped us. There was a default in the transformer," said Sudha Singh, a resident of Gulabi Bagh, in north Delhi.

Many parts of the Capital complained about the power cuts after a thunderstorm was reported on Monday night. With the Met department predicting rainfall for the next few days, discoms in the Capital are gearing up to deal with the power crisis.

"To reduce the incidence of moisture related breakdowns, BSES discoms are also taking active measures to minimise the accumulation of moisture in the Grids and Panels. The measures include the cleaning of rooftops to avoid water-logging that in turn may create seepage and moisture in the switchgear," said a BSES spokesperson.

Officials have also advised consumers to stay away from electrical installations like electricity poles, sub-stations, transformers, streetlights etc.

"Children should be warned from playing near electricity installations, even if they are barricaded,' said a Delhi government official.

According to sources, power-theft — by way of hooking into an electricity system — poses a serious safety hazard, especially during the monsoon months.