Lights off after dark

The city and its adjoining areas suffered widespread power cuts on Friday evening, as the shortfall in the CESC’s supply areas increased to 162 MW. Power cuts ranged between 90 minutes and two hours. The situation in the districts was worse, with the shortfall peaking at 350 MW. Sources in the power department said dwindling coal stocks in the state-run Bakreswar, Kolaghat and Santaldih plants had forced the authorities to cut down generation. The situation was compounded as the National Thermal Power Corporation’s 500-MW unit was shut down for repairs in Orissa’s Talcher.

Suicide: A 68-year-old widow jumped off her first-floor apartment balcony in Bhowanipore on Friday morning. According to police, the body of Mary Roy was found on the pavement of Heysham Row. She lived in the apartment with her divorced daughter, who is a teacher in a reputed college in south Calcutta.

Auto mishap: Noorjahan Begum, 45, was seriously injured on Friday when the autorickshaw she was travelling in overturned on Circular Garden Reach Road, in the West Port police station area. Police said the front wheel of the vehicle broke after hitting a road divider, leading to the mishap.

Discharged: Four students of Gurukul Vidya Mandir who met with an accident on their way to school in a pool car on Thursday were discharged from hospital on Friday.

Plastic ban: The state forest department has banned dumping of plastic within five metres of the Santragachhi Pakhiralaya. On February 7, the state pollution control board had banned plastic items near the Pakhiralaya.

Wife killed: A 40-year-old car mechanic, Ashok Sarkar, on Friday killed his wife Anima for protesting against his extramarital affair. Jagaddal police station officials said the couple started quarrelling in the morning. Ashok picked up the wooden stool he was sitting on and hit Anima with it. She died on the spot.

College opens: State minister of environment Sailen Sarkar on Friday inaugurated the Seacom College of Management and the Seacom Energy and Research Institute in Jaladhulagori, Howrah. The college will offer graduate and postgraduate courses in environmental studies.

Barrackpore: Muktir Banhishikha, a documentary film produced by the Cantonment Board, Barrackpore, which portrays the history and cultural heritage of Barrackpore, will be released at 6pm on Saturday at Sainik Institute, Barrackpore, by state transport minister Subhas Chakraborty.