Bhubaneswar: While the entire country is reeling under soaring mercury levels and long hours of power cuts, Orissa government has surprised all by announcing there will be no power cuts in the state. Is it too good to be true? NDTV finds out:
Due to a few good showers and some good hydro planning, most reservoirs in Orissa are producing at least 300 Mega Watts more than what they did a month ago.
The state is now comfortably placed to meet the daily demand of 2650 Mega Watts.
So Orissa government surprised all by announcing that there will be no power cuts in the state.
While the government's announcement has pleased everyone in urban Orissa, it's a very different picture in the western part of the state. Here the mercury has crossed the 46 degree mark and people continue to suffer power cuts of 6 to 8 hours even now.
In Titlagarh, one of Orissa's hottest spots, angry people recently set ablaze the office of the power distribution company.
People here complain that the power cuts may have been lifted in Bhubaneswar, but they continue to suffer.
The state government concedes the situation is bad in western Orissa.
"There are areas where the grid stations are weak and all efforts are being made to set up new grid installations there," said state energy minister Atanu S Nayak.
But it does not look like the state can set up new grid stations before the end of the year.
While those in cities and major towns can stop worrying about power cuts, people in many parts of western and rural Orissa will have to sweat it out for the next two months.