New Delhi: Nearly 94% houses in Uttar Pradesh are facing daily power outages this month according to a survey conducted by an online platform, the Economic Times reported.The survey, which received responses from over 14,000 people located in 56 districts of the state, also found that 65% households are facing power outages three or more times in a day. Nearly 6%of those surveyed said that they have no knowledge of the power cuts on account of “24×7 power backup”, the report said.In Noida’s Gautam Buddh Nagar, 86% respondents said they faced daily power outages, with the cuts lasting for over two hours for 35% of them, the report said.The survey found that, on average, 43% respondents experienced power outages at their homes once or twice a day, 32% said three-five times, while 4% faced power cuts 10 to 20 times every day.Nearly 14% of the respondents from Gautam Buddh Nagar also said they have 24×7 power backup and hence, no knowledge of the cuts.Of the total 4,141 responses from Noida and 62% of the respondents were men while 38% were women.“It is unfortunate that despite the preparedness claims by power corporations in the state, over 90 per cent of households are facing daily power outages in the current month,” the platform that conducted the survey was quoted as saying by the Economic Times.The platform confirmed that all respondents were validated citizens who had to be registered with them to participate in the exercise.Also read: Climate Change Made UP Heatwave at Least Two Times More Likely: Climate IndexMeanwhile the state is grappling with a heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 42°C in districts of Ballia and Deora that have witnessed 150 deaths in five days (from June 14 to June 18), The Wire had reported.The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held a protest at the sub-divisional magistrate’s office in Sector 19 against erratic power cuts in Noida on Thursday, the Hindustan Times reported. The protesters said they were agitating because of the deaths in Ballia amid severe heatwave conditions.BJP’s media in-charge from Noida, Tanmay Shankar, denied AAP’s claims and said, “Power supply has improved in the last five to six years. It is true that we face power cuts but it is only for a few seconds and the supply is revived within no time in Noida. These are baseless allegations and there are no facts in it.”The state’s peak power demand surpassed 25,000 mega watts (MW) last month, India Today had reported. The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPCCL), crippled with maintenance and staff shortage issues, was unable to meet energy requirements after peak power demand in the state reached 25,800 MW on May 23, the report said.
