Pune: Residents of a housing society in Hadapsar have lodged a police complaint alleging that frequent road digging works in the area are causing repeated power cuts.Members of the housing society, La Salette, said they faced power cuts four times in June and spent Rs 45,000 on diesel generator to maintain basic functions. The duration of the power cuts have been more than 24 hours in some cases, they said.Namrata Rathod, chairperson of the society, said a written complaint was submitted to police on Sunday (Jun 28) against the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) contractor entrusted with the road digging for laying of drainage line. Rathod said the society has not yet received any information from the police on the actions taken.Police inspector (Hadapsar) Nilesh Jagdale said, “We are in the process of ascertaining with PMC the nature and scope of work of the contractor. We will also investigate if it (power cuts) is a recurring or a one-time problem.”The society has 128 flats and its residents said the “continuous digging activity” has led to damage in the underground electricity cable multiple times in the past four weeks. “The damage to the electricity cable has also impacted three-four other housing societies in the area. But La Salette is the worst affected,” a resident said.“We have sought police intervention in the matter as frequent power cuts are affecting daily life. The worst hit are senior citizens, infants and children,” said Snehal Jibhkate, another resident.Many residents said they have approached PMC and MSEDCL on multiple occasions, but the problem continues. “The drainage pipe is being laid for a new housing society in the vicinity. La Salette residents fear that the problem will continue till its completion of the new society,” a La Salette flatowner said.
