Members of different student unions on Friday stopped a goods train at Hazaribagh station for two hours from 11am to demand immediate action to improve the power situation.
Members of JMM Chhatra Morcha, Ajsu Students’ Union and All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) under the banner of Sanyukt Morcha blocked the tracks and raised slogans of “Bijli nahi to koyla nahi (no power, no coal).
“The power supply rationing undertaken by Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) has thrown normal life out of gear. Neither the Centre nor the state government is serious about sorting out this issue. We don’t want to listen to empty promises. We only want power,” one of the protesters said.
Chandan Singh, a member of JMM Chhatra Morcha, said they would plan a bigger agitation if no action was taken soon.
“Why should we suffer so much even after paying our monthly electricity bills?” he asked.
Ruchi Kujur, another member of the union, termed the DVC’s decision to carry out loadshedding for 18 hours per day as “excessive”.
Katkamdag block development officer Jitendra Mandal tried to reason with the agitators.
He said the government was taking steps to resolve the issue and a positive outcome would emerge very soon.
Later, Kujur, who is the president of JMM’s district minority cell, submitted a memorandum to DVC officials and asked the company to reconsider its decision.