CHENNAI: Residents of Vyasarpadi in Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's Perambur Assembly constituency staged a late-night road blockade, alleging that frequent power cuts and the lack of response from electricity board officials had disrupted normal life.
The protest was held on Sathiyamoorthy Nagar Main Road after a power outage lasting more than two hours affected Sathiyamoorthy Nagar and JJ Nagar in Vyasarpadi. Residents alleged that localities, including Sharma Nagar and SA Colony, had been experiencing recurring power cuts, particularly during night hours, over the past few days.
According to residents, the outages have caused considerable hardship to families, with senior citizens, children and patients among the worst affected. They alleged that repeated complaints to the electricity board officials had failed to bring a lasting solution.
On receiving information, Vyasarpadi police rushed to the spot and held talks with the protesters. The residents withdrew the agitation after police assured them that steps would be taken to address the power supply issue. Traffic on the stretch was affected briefly.
A similar protest was reported in Arani, near Periyapalayam, in Tiruvallur district, where residents blocked the Periyapalayam–Puduvoyal highway due to frequent, unannounced power cuts.
Residents of Arani and neighbouring areas alleged that recurring outages over the past few days had affected households, businesses and vulnerable sections. Some residents also claimed that electrical appliances were damaged due to repeated interruptions in the power supply.
The protesters first gathered at the electricity board office near the Arani Chatram bus stop and alleged that officials were unavailable and did not respond to phone calls. They later staged a road blockade, disrupting traffic on the highway.
Police intervened and held talks with the residents. The protest was withdrawn after officials reportedly assured restoration of power supply and a meeting with the electricity board authorities to discuss the issue.
The protests in Perambur and Arani have brought renewed attention to complaints over recurring power outages and the response of electricity board officials.
The DMK has served a legal notice on TVK MLA Pallavi, representing Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, seeking an unconditional apology for allegedly making defamatory statements against DMK members during a video interview.
The notice, issued by advocate and DMK spokesperson Saravanan on June 6, has also been sent to YouTube's Resident Grievance Officer. According to the notice, Pallavi had alleged that DMK members were behind recent power cuts in Chennai and had bribed Tamil Nadu Electricity Board officials to discredit the TVK government.
Terming the allegations "baseless" and unsupported by evidence, the DMK demanded the removal of the interview and related social media clips, besides seeking a public apology within 24 hours. The party warned of civil and criminal legal action if the demands are not met within the stipulated period.