Rainfall in Udupi, DK in first day of Diwali; celebrations affected in districts
Udupi/Mangaluru: Different parts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts experienced unexpected rainfall late Thursday evening and night, with many people finding the showers an obstruction to their celebrations on the first day of Diwali festival.
Several parts of Udupi district, including places like Udupi, Brahmavar and Manipal, were drenched in rain on Thursday evening. The roads were inundated on account of the showers, disappointing people who had planned for short outings in Udupi. Vehicle users were seen struggling to traverse on the stretches due to the rainwater on the roads.
In Dakshina Kannada, rainfall was reported in Mangaluru. Some parts of the city experienced moderate rainfall in the evening, while thundershowers and strong wind were also reported in some areas of Mangaluru.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
