It is nothing short of holding people to ransom. Without shelling out money to civil servants of the electric power department no electricity supply will be ensured to home and markets. This was stated by electricity department officials to Rangoon residents when they complained of lack of supply.
 
This despite the Burmese junta controlled New Light of Myanmar stating that the government is trying to repair power lines with government funds and on time post Cyclone Nargis.
 
Although the cyclone lashed Burma in the first week of May, the government did not care to repair some power lines in Okkalapa Township which were damaged.
 
Shop owners in Nandawun market, South Okkalapa Township complained after power supply to the market was disrupted following the cyclone but the department did not repair transmission lines.
 
"If the shop owners do not pay we will not repair it," a shop owner told IMNA quoting a civil servant from the electric power department.
 
"We collected a thousand Kyat from each small shop and 3,000-5,000 Kyat from the bigger shops and paid the department on June 24. The next day the power supply was back," the shop owner said.
 
The market has about 5,000 shops and the power and telephone lines snapped after cyclone.
 
According to shop owners the telephone lines are yet to be restored. Similarly residents in North Okkalapa said though they have paid, the power to the tune of only 20 volts was supplied. A resident complained but an officer said they are too busy to attend to the problem.
 
But when a Major's family complained, the officer switched to another transformer of 220 voltage.
 
North Okkalapa township residents also paid 5000 Kyat for reinstalling power connection after the cyclone.