All that the Noida GM UPPC has to tell the residents is: "don't waste power". But when there is no power supply, how does the question of wasting power arise, counter the livid people.

Noida area has been constantly subjected to severe power cuts for the last one month, thanks to the indifferent attitude of UP Power Corporation as well as the Noida Authority.

All the areas connected to Sector-62, power sub-station, including group housing societies, were plunged into darkness yesterday. This was generally the position in Sectors 11, 12, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62.

In a meeting in Sector-59, entrepreneurs had even served a notice on the authorities that they would have to complain to the Chief Minister if the situation persisted. The snapping of a power cable of 132 KV in Sector-8 is said to have caused this crisis. It was only in the evening that the fault could be repaired.

J.P. Pande and Vijay Kumar Arora in a meeting in Sector-59 accused the UP Power Corporation officials of ignoring the interest of the entrepreneurs and the general public. For many days, the power supply from Muradnagar power station has been affected, creating a power shortage in sectors 26, 20, 19, 21 and 25 also.

Two months ago, the newly appointed Chairman of UP Power Corporation, Deepak Singal had promised a significant improvement in Noida power supply position. However, nothing concrete has been done so far.

Water-borne diseases on the rise in Noida

Since the residents of Noida are not getting pure and safe water to drink, the incidence of water-borne diseases is on the rise in the town and the surrounding area. The Noida Jal Board and the Noida Authority having failed to supply safe potable water, people are forced to drink polluted water. People's complaints to water work department and Noida Authority have failed to stir the authorities into action.

The worst affected areas are Sectors-10, 11, 12, 15, 17, 22, 28, 55, 56, 58, 62, 66 and areas like Shramak Kunj, Harola, Chaura, Nithari, Jhandpura, Atta and a number of other villages.

With the change in weather, the incidence of water-borne diseases has increased and vomiting, loose motions, weakness, dry tongue high fever have become very common. Over 25 patients, who had trooped into government hospital, Noida, had jolted the medical fraternity into action.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Vinode Kumar has advised people not to drink polluted water, consume cut and exposed vegetables and fruits, stale food and to wash their hands with soap before eating food. During the past few days, the incidence of water-borne diseases, polio, diarrhoea etc has increased in the town.

The Resident Welfare Associations of various sectors like 12, 15, 19, 22, 35, 50 have complained to the Noida Authority about lack of safe and pure potable water, but to no avail. Some of the RWAs have also made written complaints to the Noida Authority. On the one hand the Noida Authority claims to be supplying water mixed with Ganga water to people, but on the other hand even simple safe drinking water is not being supplied in a large part of the area.

On many occasions, samples of polluted water being supplied in sectors has been given to Noida Jal department officials, but all that project engineer Home Singh Yadav says is that all the water tanks are being cleaned up so that safe and clean water can be supplied to people.