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Over 4,000 poll booths under DVVNL remain in darkness

AGRA: With less than a month left in the first and second phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 11 and 18 respectively, state government-owned discom – Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited ( DVVNL ) - has finally swung into action. There is urgent need of power supply in over 4,000 polling booths in eight districts, including Agra .



Incidentally, the state government had given directions for providing electricity at polling booths in February. However, there was hardly any action on the ground.

DVVNL is responsible for power supply in 21 districts of UP. Out of these, report concerning arrangement of power supply in polling booths has been complied by eight districts. Managing director of the discom, SK Verma, has directed superintendent engineers of other districts to coordinate with the primary education department and send the report without any further delay.

According to reports from the eight districts, the booths have no power connection yet. Surprisingly, 48 polling booths in the home district of power minister Shrikant Sharma are in darkness. In Agra, 1,100 polling booths are in a similar condition. Besides, similar condition persists in 1,185 booths in Farrukhabad district, 656 in Jaluan, 391 in Etah , 338 in Mahoba , 212 in Kanpur (rural), 78 in Jhansi and 23 in Hamirpur.

DVVNL staff officer SK Baghel said, “Electricity should be provided to all polling booths before elections. We have sought details on polling booths without any power facility. We are coordinating with the primary education department and so far around 4,000 booths have been identified for power connection. Details of other districts are also being compiled.”

The report further stated that a majority of the polling booths without power supply are actually government-run primary schools. A large number of schools in every district have power connection only on paper. There are no cables and power meter installed in these places.

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