MARGAO: Over 50 villagers from Chandor, Guirdolim and Sao Jose de Areal today laid seize to the electricity sub-station office at Sao Jose de Areal protesting against the power failure for three days in their respective villages.
“How can we live in these hot summer months if there is no electricity continuously for three days,” asked one agitated lady from Chandor. What really agitated the villagers was the total failure on the part of the department to restore power supply even after 24 hours.
The protestors were led by Chandor Cavorim Sarpanch Celina Coelho Furtado along with other panchayat members and Guirdolim Deputy Sarpanch Franky Rodrigues. Former Deputy Sarpanch of Chandor Cavorim Marcelo Fernandes was also present.
Owner of a cold storage in Chandor, Edward complained that ice cream that he had bought had to be thrown out as it all melted away and similarly the milk stocked had turned rancid. “At least if we were warned I could have installed a generator and saved some stock,” he said.
Junior Engineer Martinho was a harassed person as the people would not allow him to go anywhere alone and accompanied him everywhere. “Why does it take them so long to replace the broken conductors?” asked the agitated villagers when they were informed that the 11 KVA conductor had snapped near a temple at Assolda.
Finally at around 8 pm the villagers left for their respective houses only after assured that the power would be restored within half an hour.
