THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: Restauranteurs and small business owners along the Salcete coastal belt are a worried lot, as the daily power cuts they have been enduring over the past week seem to be driving away the few customers that come their way, as the tourist season draws to a close.
Since the annual maintenance power shut down last Sunday, the villages of Benaulim, Colva and Cavelossim have been plagued by power outages every single day, that last from two to four hours at a stretch.
“We are struggling to service our customers on a daily basis. Such frequent power cuts are devastating for small businesses like mine, as I cannot use my espresso machine, blender or oven and I’m forced to cancel orders and turn my guests away,” said Raymond Rodrigues, who runs a restaurant in Colva.
“I hired a generator on Sunday, for the scheduled power cut. I cannot afford to do that everyday,” he said, adding that phone calls to the Electricity Department helpline are of no use, as the call centre executives often do not have a clue about what is happening. The standard response flits between ‘Maintenance work’ and ‘Mains are down’, which should not be the case since the annual maintenance was just carried out.
Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz said that residents and tourists in his village were caught unawares when there was no electricity supply from 7 am to 10.30 am on Saturday morning.
“The power cut left our coastal area in a total mess. There was no warning, we were not informed about when it would resume, and nobody was prepared for it. It was a nightmare for citizens as well as tourists,” said Vaz, who is also a hotel owner.
“Since the bout of rains on Monday, we have been facing power-cuts every day. People who work from home and depend on internet connectivity are badly affected,” said Benaulim local Angela Joanes.
