Persistent power cut drives Cuddalore residents

CUDDALORE: Continual power cuts and disruption in water supply in the district had been driving people to cinema theatres, not to watch movies, but to charge their mobile phones and to sit in theatres just to idle away time.Two theatres that had been screening movies after cyclone Thane had been seeing good ticket sales for the last two days for evening and night shows.“We are screening Don-2 movie in our theatre for the 10th day. The number of audiences that we are getting for evening and night shows is unusual for the last two days. Because of the power cut, people could not watch TV and they do not have lights also in their houses.Hence they are flocking to the theatres. Usually, in the winter season we do not get this number of audiences,” said V R Vijaya Kumar, manager of New Cinema Theatre.Theatre employees said that even after 10 days, people have been flocking to see the movie and the crowd has been increasing in the past two days.“My children are not sleeping at night as there is no power in our house. They cannot watch TV also. Hence, my husband and I took them to a night show movie,” said Malathi, a housewife.Because of uprooted trees blocking roads, passengers who were waiting at the Cuddalore bus terminus swarmed the theatres on Saturday and Sunday, following the cyclone.P Pandiyan of Krishnalaya Theatre that is screening Osthi said: “Audiences are coming to the theatre mainly to charge their mobile phones as we run generators. During every show, mobile phones are occupying all the power points here.” Some people were seen charging their mobile phones outside the theatres, instead of watching the movies inside the halls.Meanwhile, Schoolchildren and parents in the district are demanding that either the Education Department or the government should replace textbooks, notebooks, uniforms and stationery items that were lost or damaged by Thane.Students of Ko Sathiram, Appiyampettai, Madhanagopalpuram and Vegakollai villages said that they lost their books in the fierce wind. Parents said they expect the Education Department to take steps to provide new textbooks and uniforms.