Public hit from all sides

With less than five days left for the Sinhala and Tamil New year, power cuts have affected all sectors including the business community. They have made day-to-day lives of people difficult as even simple errands are routinely put off. Shopping plans are delayed, service providers are failing to meet deadlines and normal life is disrupted.

In some areas, the public cannot take phone calls are fibre optic lines are inoperable during power outages. Communication centres and shops that sell printouts, image scanning, telephone and wi-fi services are suffering.

People with various ailments are affected as some pharmacies are closed during power interruptions with air- conditioners not functioning. Many medicines need to be stored in cool conditions with less humidity

Vehicle repair shops and service stations can’t function as electric hydraulic lifts, pressurized water guns and pumps don’t function. These garages, therefore, have to halt certain services for hours. Rice mill owners, grinding mills and those who store fresh milk and frozen products including fish have been badly hit.

Eateries, restaurants and bakeries were suffering not only because customers had to bear the dark and the heat. Their electric ovens, refrigerators, cool rooms as well as food heaters were off several hours a day.

The water sumps at construction sites as well as high rise buildings were affected. Apartments on the highest floors were the worst hit. Phone and computer repair shops were also complaining.

Though Colombo city did not experience power cuts until last week, the situation changed this week with the CEB curtailing power in selected areas. It attributed this to “the worsening power situation”.