Power outage at Lucknow centre due to damaged cable, clarifies SAI

Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Friday issued a statement on the power outage at its local centre, saying that the authorities were getting a bore well drilled inside the campus, which damaged the power cable, disrupting power supply.

"SAI authorities were getting a bore well drilled through SIDCO inside the campus. At around 7.30 pm yesterday the 11 kV cable (supplying electricity to the campus and other areas) was punctured by the drillers. The authorities did not inform the Electricity Department, but since the entire feeder went into the breakdown, the dept staff had to engage in segregating faulty section to locate the fault," said SAI in a statement.

"By 1 am, we could identify SAI campus as the probable place of the faulty section but guards at the gate did not allow our staff along with equipment and fault locator due to security reasons. Early morning we could enter the campus and supply could be restored by alternate arrangements at 10.15 am. The permanent staff has been deputed now for round the clock monitoring," the statement added.

Earlier, wrestler Vinesh Phogat had complained about the power outage in the SAI centre in her tweet and had tagged Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and SAI media unit.

Rijiju replied to Phogat and stated that there was a fault in the transformer outside the centre and the power supply has been restored.

The 24-year-old Phogat is currently attending a Wrestling National Camp at the SAI centre in Lucknow.

Two times Commonwealth Games gold medalist Phogat recently won a gold medal at Yasar Dogu International in the 53kg category.