Power cuts lasting up to eight hours a day have sparked protests in various states, with residents blocking traffic, burning tyres and throwing stones. New Delhi has been sweltering in the hottest summer in years, with temperatures regularly hitting the forties Celsius, as it waits for the delayed monsoon rains to arrive. As a result, power companies have been unable to cope with the soaring demand for electricity to power fans and air conditioners, leaving residents to sweat it out in darkness. The state governments however remain indifferent towards the plight of its people.