Mysore, Apr. 2 (SH&KK)- Hundreds of students appearing for SSLC exam, which began yesterday, laid siege to the office of Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Company (CHESCom) in Udayagiri yesterday afternoon demanding electricity to enable them to study for the exam. They have expressed their anxiety, being not able to study as a result of unscheduled power cuts for long hours, especially during the evening hours.

These are 13 schools in the area served by the zonal office of CHESCom. The students in large numbers mobbed the electricity office at about 2.30 pm after writing the exam from 10.30 to 1pm and staged a protest stir.

More than 1,500 students, who took part in the protest, demanded uninterrupted power supply to their homes in order to avoid hardship in preparing for the remaining part of the exam.

"Please ensure proper power supply, please give us light to study, don't ruin our future," they pleaded while raising slogans. "SSLC is an important turning point in our life," they said during the hour long stir. They also warned of intensifying their stir along with their teachers in front of the electricity company's office if power was not supplied as demanded.

Student leaders told Star of Mysore that the SSLC students had been put to hardship due to erratic power supply and unscheduled power cuts for the past more than two months. "We are lagging behind in studies being unable to revise the lessons learnt during school hours because of power cuts."

"Apart from being denied proper power needed for our study, evenafter the examinations have started, the situation is no different. Residences in the locality where we live were not supplied with power even last evening, the eve of first day's exam. Power is restored only after midnight. How can the students study at the unearthly hour? CHESCom officials should not toy with our future. Even if power is not supplied during daytime, there should never be any power cut in the evenings," they argued.

Demands

SSLC examination has begun. The period until the examination concludes on Apr. 9 should be declared as 'emergency.'

Power supply should not be disrupted between 7 pm and 12 midnight for any reason.

Some houses may be equipped with UPS facility. But, for most people, it is only candle light. It is virtually impossible to study with poor light from candles. Please consider this factor.

Later they submitted a memorandum to the Asst. Executive Engineer at CHESCom office.

CHESCom MD speak...

Power distribution to users is similar to distributing one kg rice to 10 consumers. It is not a problem confined to Mysore alone. The entire State is going through power shortage. Power is being dis-tributed to different regions subject to accute shortage of power supply.

If the power distribution system is forced to face more pressure, then there is danger of the entire State pushed to dark days due to collapse of the entire power grid.

Electricity is being supplied on priority to both rural and urban areas. Power Trade Corporation itself has declared power shortage. Electricity is not available even if an offer is made to purchase at the rates quoted. We are helpless. We are trying to bring the situation under control.

Even if it is unavoidable to supply single phase power, we are mulling on supplying the same throughout the State during the examination days.

The Chief Minister has called a meeting on the issue tomorrow.

— S. Govindappa, MD, Chescom

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore