Team Herald
MARGAO: The frequent power cuts in coastal Salcete and South Goa district in general has left stakeholders in the tourism industry, mostly hoteliers, frustrated since they are suffering huge losses.
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Speaking to O Heraldo, representatives of the tourism community, demanded that the government should work out some permanent solution so that there is proper power supply to run their businesses.
It is pertinent to note that the hoteliers and the business community have several times raising their voices against the frequent power cuts over the last several months. Lack of reliable power supply has forced them to invest on other options of keeping the power supply stable, adding to huge input costs.
Tourism industry stakeholders complained bitterly about their suffering due to power failure on a regular basis. Presently, almost all hotels are run on generators on all days as power cuts have become a regular feature for the whole day.
”Power failure for more than 12 hours is unacceptable. The government must do something urgently so that proper power supply is given to the hotel industry. For the last few months it has been very difficult to
operate with frequent power cuts,” said Satish Kumar, GM of St Regis (formerly Leela),Cavelossim.
Carmo Rodrigues, Manager of Novatel stated that there are proposals with the government for laying underground cabling but nothing has been done. It must be taken up on priority basis, he said.
“We are suffering heavy losses due to frequent power cuts to run on generators that cost us a lot for diesel. In the last few months, there is no proper power supply to our hotel,”, Operation Manager of Byke hotel Cavelossim said.
Reacting on the issue, Dixon Vas, Sarpanch of village panchayat Cavelossim said that this matter needs to be taken seriously by the government. “The tourism industry needs proper power supply to survive. I will write to the government to take up the underground cabling on priority basis,” he stated.
Nicholas Moraes, Assistant Engineer told O Heraldo that Cavelossim and surrounding areas had some problem with regard to the power supply in the last few days, but now the issue has been resolved.
“Power cuts in these areas had been witnessed, the reason being interruptions from the Xeldem power line. But now there
Tis no such issue over here,” he added.
