'PowerCut' memes trend on social media as temperature across country soars

In addition, the railways suspended 42 passenger trains to allow for the transportation of coal freight, with the South East Central Railway (SECR) division, which handles the coal-producing areas, cancelling 34 trains.

Long power outages in the midst of a hot weather have sent India into a frenzy. Although coal output increased in April, the country's electricity consumption also increased to a record high. As several states across the country continued to experience hours-long power outages, the government-backed coal mining giant Coal India Limited reported that coal production increased by 27.2 per cent and despatch increased by 5.8 percent in April 2022 compared to the same period last year, according to the coal ministry. In this situation, social media users are seeking to relax by posting memes.

On Friday, many states faced electricity shortages as temperatures rose, increasing demand, while opposition parties accused the Centre for coal shortages at thermal facilities. The country's peak electricity consumption reached an all-time high of 207.11 GW on Friday as the heatwave intensified. In addition, the railways suspended 42 passenger trains to allow for the transportation of coal freight, with the South East Central Railway (SECR) division, which handles the coal-producing areas, cancelling 34 trains.