TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Power Minister, Milind Naik has underlined the need for underground cabling of the high-tension 33KV line across the State, even as he announced that the government would soon tender underground cabling works amounting to Rs 200 crore in four different areas of the state.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the Goa Revolution Day function at the Lohia Maidan, here, the Power Minister admitted that the number of power failure complaints have seen a sharp rise during the monsoon period. “I am admitting the fact that the 10-member team constituted by me to receive to check power failures has seen a sharp rise in complaints. But this is not something new, especially during the monsoons when trees come down on the overhead lines,” he said.
Citing the case of insulators, the Power Minister said these break down during rains, but there’s no mechanism as yet to trace the faulty insulator, wherein linesmen have to check each and every pole, sometimes for 10-15 kms, consuming time to restore powers supply. “I am sending a team of engineers to Kerala where they have come up with a system to immediately trace the faulty insulators,” he added.
Replying to a question, Naik admitted that underground cabling especially in respect of 33-KV line will go a long way in reducing power fluctuations. “Having underground cabling in Margao is not enough when power is supplied to Margao via the 33-KV line which is prone to disruptions along the way,” he said, adding that the government would soon float a tender to take up underground cabling work amounting to Rs 200 crore.