R - 'Yesterday's Papers'

'Yesterday's Papers'

I can't remember the exact date, but in September 2002 the local daily
carried the news which was of importance and mattered a lot to the
people of the State.

The minister in charge of 'Energy Department' had made a press release
that was published in the papers, the very next day. In his press
release he had made known that he was sorry to inform the people of
this State that some problem had cropped up with the State government
and the NTPC (a power Company) which supplied the electricity to the
State for its daily consumption. He requested the people to bear with
the power cuts that would be there 'for a few days only'. There would
be power cuts - one hour in the morning and one hour in the
evening.

Taking it to be a request, the people felt that the best way was, to
bear the trouble of the power cut without any opposition, as this
problem was before them for a ' a very short period'.

But soon days passed into weeks and then months. The power cut is
continuing but the duration is relaxed to - one hour in the
evening.

People have became used to it but there has been grumbles. The State
machinery has not solved this problem and summer has stepped in, with
the power cut still continuing. It will be very difficult to face this
problem at this time of the year.

But alas, the plight faced by the people due the power cut is still
being felt, and who knows for how long.