Makhachkala: power outages follow gas shutdown

Because of a four-day-long gas supply shutdown, Makhachkala residents had to heat water and cook food by using electricity; some townspeople were forced to purchase electrical appliances, while power supply outages were also observed in a number of city districts. A long-term shutdown of gas supply is a violation, and residents have the right to demand recalculation of their bills, Suleiman Suleimanov, an activist of the human rights organization "ZhKKh (Housing and Public Utilities) Monitor", has noted.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that long electricity and gas supply outages triggered Dagestanis' protest actions. Thus, on August 17, daily interruptions in power supply forced residents living in Yaragsky Street in Makhachkala to block the street.

On October 10, the Dagestani Ministry of Energy announced that residents of Makhachkala and Buynaksk would be left without gas for four days. The Ministry's Telegram channel says that the gas shutdown is caused by the need for repairs.

Suleiman Suleimanov, the above activist, has noted that the supply interruption of a public utility for a period longer than that established by law is a violation.

Gasan, 25, said that due to absence of gas supply, he had to heat water and cook food on a tourist stove. He added that they also have no hot water supply.

Rasul, another Makhachkala resident, has stated that his family was forced to buy an electric stove for cooking and heating water because of gas supply outage. "It has hit my purse; I had to spend money," he has explained.