Power supply cut, Old Delhi skills institute struggling in darkness

A few weeks ago, ta smyi rn aw ab enrolled in a digital marketing course offered by an NGO at a community centre. However, for almost a month now, the computers the 20- year-old had been using on the premises have been rendered unusable without electricity. “We rely on computers for our studies. The lack of electricity has halted our studies...” said Nawab.

Nawab's predicament echoes that of several students at the centreoperating out of ma tia ma hal’ s Shankar Gali. The premises have been without electricity for over a month now, owing to a pending bill of Rs 31 lakh.

The building is owned by the Delhi urban shelter improvement Board (DUSIB), which leased the space to Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (Dseu)-affiliated Lighthouse Communities Foundation, the NGO, offering skill development programme to underprivileged youth. the foundation argued that it had only been using the premises since October 10, 2023, and was not liable to pay the bill owed to the power distribution companies (discoms) by DUSIB; the latter denied having any knowledge of the matter .“for the past month, there has been no electricity, causing numerous issues for our students ,” said an official from the Lighthouse Foundation.

The foundation provides courses in office management, beauty, and stitching, with over 1,000 enrollment sin the past year. Many students come from families with an annual income of less than Rs 2 lakh, and half of them are women. “Our batch had just begun when the electricity connection stopped. the entire building was plunged into darkness ...” said Shivam Mishra, a student.

Suniel Kumar Aledia, Executive Director of the Center for holistic development, ann go in the vicinity, has urged Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to intervene in the matter.

While a portion of the community centre's electricity supply was restored on april 10 after partial payment of the arrears, the section used by the Lighthouse Foundation remains without power. Officials said they have been asked by DUSIB to contribute to the bill. “It makes no sense as to why we should pay the bill which now runs into lakhs,” an official of the Lighthouse Foundation said.

DUSIB officials — CEO Manish Kumar Gupta and Principal Director PK Jha — claimed to be unaware of the matter, whiled is com officials stated that electricity was restored after the universitymade a partial payment. they attributed any ongoing issues to internal wiring problems and stressed that supply to the community centre had been restored.

A class underway at the Matia Mahal centre.