Protests in the capital as load-shedding woes get worse
There were protests at different parts of the capital valley on Monday as
the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) extended the daily power cuts to 12
hours, adding two more hours, effective from today. The protests caused
traffic snarls in busy roads for several hours in the morning.
Students in various campuses including Trichandra Campus at Ghantaghar,
Ratna Rajya Campus at Pradarsani Marg and Pashupati Campus, Chabahil,
staged demonstrations in front of their campuses in the morning, demanding
the government take quick measures to end load-shedding.
They blocked the traffic, burned tyres on the road and chanted slogans
against the government for imposing crippling hours of load-shedding.
Meanwhile, residents of Naxal and Bhagawati Bahal came out on the streets
to protest the NEA's decision to extend load-shedding hours. They placed
empty drums on the road to obstruct traffic.
Notice published by NEA said there will be 12-hour load-shedding for six
days a week and 10 hours for one day.
Industrial production has gone substantially down with many factories in
major industrial estates already suspending operation while businesses in
general have been badly affected -- not to mention the woes of households
-- due to the ever-increasing load shedding. nepalnews.com mk Dec 29 08
