It has been a long summer of discontent for residents of Agra with long power blackouts and inadequate water supply.
People are wondering what the Narendra Modi government's priorities are. "The Modi government's top priority is bullet and high speed trains, and (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister) Akhilesh Yadav has his eyes fixed on the expressway to Lucknow, the Rs.1,000 crore theme park in Agra and the lion safari in Etawah. Who cares for the aam aadmi?" says Sudhir Gupta, an angry resident of Vijay Nagar Colony. He says facing power shortages and water scarcity has become a daily ritual.
State Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan ordered 22-hour power supply to Agra Friday. Back in 1996, while disposing off the PIL of M.C. Mehta on Taj Mahal pollution, the Supreme Court had ordered uninterrupted power supply to the eco-sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone.
Officials of DVNNL that sells power to private discom Torrent, say there have been technical snags and a drastic reduction in generation. Efforts are being made to purchase more electricity from the grid.
On the water front, Agra Water Works blames the erratic power supply even when the Yamuna is full to the brim. Says an official: "The situation has improved in the past week and we are taking steps to streamline supply."