Irregular power supply triggers protest in Assam's Khowang; traders shut shops in support

Residents of Khowang in Assam's Dibrugarh district staged a protest on Saturday, July 18, against irregular electricity supply and alleged negligence by the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL), demanding immediate steps to resolve the persistent power crisis.
 

The demonstration was organised by the Khowang Regional Students' Union with support from local residents at Khowang Ghat. In solidarity with the protest, traders at Khowang Ghat kept their shops closed, disrupting normal business activities in the area.
 

Holding banners and placards and raising slogans against APDCL, protesters accused the power utility of failing to ensure a reliable electricity supply. Despite intermittent rainfall, a large number of residents participated in the agitation, expressing frustration over the recurring outages that they said have affected daily life and businesses.
 

Following the protest, senior officials, including APDCL representatives, the Moran Revenue Circle Officer and the Khowang Sub-Divisional Police Officer, reached the spot and held discussions with representatives of the students' union and local residents.
 

During the meeting, the students' union submitted a memorandum outlining their demands and seeking immediate intervention to restore regular power supply and improve the functioning of the electricity department.
 

The administration assured the protesters that their grievances would be addressed and that efforts would be made to resolve the issue at the earliest.
 

"We have been facing irregular power supply for a long time. Despite repeated appeals, the situation has not improved. We had no option but to stage this protest to press for immediate action," a protester said.