VARANASI, May 23 -- Amidst scorching heat and hot winds, residents across Varanasi are suffering from widespread power tripping and prolonged interruptions in electricity supply. The crisis has intensified due to a record surge in power demand caused by increased use of cooling appliances in homes and establishments. Rakesh Kumar, chief engineer of the electricity department, acknowledged the strain, stating that power demand has risen to a record level. He appealed to the public to "use electrical appliances only as per their actual requirements". The frequent interruptions have also affected the Ganga Aarti. Devotees were forced to rely solely on their mobile phone flashlights, as the area remained without power for about three hours. Over the past five days, incidents of overloaded transformers and sparking have become rampant. Frequent power tripping has been reported in more than 40 colonies, including Ramnagar, Mahmoorganj, Chaukaghat, Dafi and Shivpur. The situation near Cantt Station also remains unchanged, despite three days of continuous complaints. On Thursday, three residential colonies in the Samne Ghat area remained without power for approximately 12 hours. In the Samneghat area, power was interrupted from midnight on Wednesday until around noon on Thursday. Chaubepur also experienced a disruption lasting several hours. The officials noted that the power crisis intensifies significantly at night due to the full-capacity usage of ACs and coolers. Residents in areas like Shivdaspur face frequent tripping and low voltage after sundown. In areas like Sarai Nandan and Khojwa, repairs are reportedly failing to hold, resulting in recurring outages....