BAREILLY: A 25-day blackout in Soraha village, Budaun district, ended on Wednesday night after a new transformer was installed, bringing relief to around 5,000 villagers, who had endured frigid winter nights without electricity since the old one was stolen on December 14. The installation of the new transformer comes a day after TOI reported on Tuesday about the plight of the villagers.
Junior engineer Ashok Kumar told TOI that the replacement transformer had been fast-track approved and was installed by lineman Naresh Pal and his team on Wednesday night.
The theft of the 250 kVA transformer left the village struggling with disrupted routines. The villagers discovered the stripped remains of the stolen transformer under straw in nearby fields and lodged a complaint at the Ughaiti police station. However, no replacement was provided for weeks, leaving residents frustrated.
The prolonged blackout especially affected students and farmers. “Vijendra Pal Singh, a resident, told TOI, “The entire village is relieved, especially children preparing for board exams and farmers who can now irrigate their fields without incurring additional costs on generators.”
Sobran Singh, another villager, added: “We couldn’t go to another village or stay with relatives in the city because we feared thieves. If they can steal a transformer, they could easily break into our houses and take away valuables in our absence.”