Team Herald
CARMONA: The Carmona sub-station is in dire need of staff, store supplies, vehicles, and even investment in shifting Low Tension (LT) lines underground.
The substation supplies power to houses and hotels in Varca, Mobor, Cavelossim, Orlim and Carmona. The department has just one vehicle, a rickshaw and that too on contract at their disposal to cover the entire area to maintain the LT lines and resolve the power outage issues. The sub-station had two vehicles, but more than a month ago, one vehicle was taken away to be used in another area.
The substation is facing staff shortage as there are only eight personnel on duty to maintain both the low tension as well as the high tension lines, which usually require two separate sets of staff. This issue is ironic considering that last year, the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) had stated that the Goa Electricity Department is “extremely overstaffed”.
For linesmen, the raincoats and other safety equipment which were procured last year, have been supplied this year. Sources informed Herald that even Cuncolim and other parts of Goa face this problem of delay in supply of raincoats and other safety gear.
Herald’s investigation revealed that the primary cause of power outage at Carmona was due to “tripping” at the Velim Substation. The input voltage is around 104kv but peaks at 140kv during summer. However, this season, in particular, the power from Velim station tripped at 135. People often blame the substation operators for power outage but clearly, they are not at fault.
“People say linesmen get drunk on duty and fire bad words at us. We work for 24 hours, still we have to listen to all comments, no matter what we do,” complained a linesman of Carmona in an emotional tone. “Ask the head office when was the last time they supplied us with material like connector (for joining cables,” he said.
The sources at Carmona substation explained that the substation receives power from Xeldem via Cuncolim substation and then Velim Substation. This overhead line needs constant maintenance because of the hilly and green terrain through which these High Tension lines pass. Although the power lines from the Carmona Substation to the transformers are installed underground, the lines from the transformers to individual houses are still overhead. “If all these lines are drawn underground, most of the major power outage issues will be solved,” he said.
