MOHALI - The searing heat and the resultant acute power crisis in Punjab has hit everyday life hard - people are suffering long power cuts, office timings have changed, shopping centres are to shut early and industries have been asked to take 72 hours off every week.

The mercury has been ranging between 42 and 45 degrees Celsius in most cities and towns in the last few days. While the heat wave and the power shortage have affected everyone equally, Dharam Moudgil, a milk dairy owner at Zirakpur, around 10 km from here, is counting losses every day.

“I have lost heavily in my business. Every day there is a power cut ranging from 12 to 16 hours that is affecting my milk business. I am forced to throw away litres of milk and other milk products because they begin to rot,” Moudgil told IANS.

Subodh Sharma, who works in a private bank in Derabassi town, says even inverters are no use during the long power cuts.

“I shifted to this town from Chandigarh just two months back. Life has become miserable due to the acute power shortage. Because of long and untimely power cuts, the inverter has also failed to give us any relief,” he said.

And the shortage has added to the woes of the state’s already ailing industries.

The Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) Saturday asked industries to observe a mandatory 72-hour off every week to check the power deficit in the state.

“This compulsory three-day weekly off is a big shock for industrialists. PSEB officials don’t think about the industry and its working style but just release illogical orders from their offices,” said B.S. Anand, president of the Mohali Industries Association.

“In such circumstances, we cannot adhere to our commitments, which may lead to decline in business. The scarcity of power is forcing industries to move out of the state,” he added.

The situation is so grave that the government has changed office and shop timings. It has also banned the use of air-conditioners in government offices.

Government offices will now function from 7.30 a.m. till 1.30 p.m. instead of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. till the monsoon arrives and the power situation eases. Shops, malls and commercial establishments have been ordered to close down by 7.30 p.m. and have been advised against using decorative lights.

“This is the utter failure of Punjab government that we are facing such a problem. Long power cuts are also accompanied by poor water supply,” said Darshan Singh Khokhar, a lecturer in Patiala town, around 50 km from here.

“The government claims it is due to the delayed monsoon but the normal date of the monsoon’s arrival is June 29 then how can they give such lame excuses,” he added.

Said Reena Jain, a housewife: “We are facing a very difficult time as the children are at home because of summer vacations and it is really difficult to keep them occupied when there is no electricity. We have not slept properly for the last many days.”

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, in a statement Saturday, directed PSEB to ensure maximum power supply to the farming sector as the food security of the country could not be compromised. Punjab contributes over 50 percent of the food grains to the country’s central pool.

“This step is taken in the wake of delayed monsoon. The lack of rain poses a threat to the paddy crop so we have to ensure at least eight hours power supply in the fields to run tubewells,” a PSEB official said.