POINGUINIM: The road from Muttal electricity sub-station in Poinguinim to Sadolxem, Gaondongrem, Cotigoa, was partially damaged due to digging undertaken by the electricity department to lay underground LT electricity cables.
Canacona taluka is a region of dense trees and falling of trees on the overhead electricity cables is a common phenomenon resulting in frequent disruption of power supply to this region.
In 2000 a proposal was mooted to lay underground cables of HT from Cuncolim to Canacona and also of LT from Muttal sub-station to the interior villages in Canacona that was sanctioned in phases by the government as it amounted to several crores of rupees.
Now the work of laying of the underground cables is almost complete but the repair works of the road due to the digging has not been taken up leading for motorists facing undue hardships.
According to the Deputy Collector of Canacona Chandrakant Shetkar, he made a site inspection and has directed the concerned parties to repair the road and bring it to parity.
When the AE of Electricity, Canacona, Coutinho was contacted, he said that their department has already deposited Rs 1.16 lakh with the PWD roads division to repair the road.
On the other hand the PWD AE Chipkar said that as per the terms and conditions laid towards permission of digging the road, it was mentioned that the electricity department will maintain the road till their work is completed.
When a officer of the electricity dept was quizzed he replied that if that was the case then why did the PWD take the money from their department amounting to more than Rs 1 crore and that too before the work was completed.
He further stated that the work is already tendered by the PWD but the contractor is not taking up the work citing the monsoon clause.
