PARRA: Acting on the directives of the North Goa Collector, Electricity Department officials visited the site at Parra where the power poles were to be installed to lay the 33 KVA high tension lines from Thivim to Nagoa sub-station.
They surveyed and discussed other optional powerline routes.
The delegation comprising of farmers from Verla Canca and Parra assembled near the fields where electricity poles have been installed.
A farmer showed the map to the electricity department officials highlighting the four alternate routes through which the high tension lines could be taken. The officials listened to the suggestions put forth by the farmers and surveyed the four routes through which the 33 KVA line could pass.
The Assistant Engineer from Calangute Electricity Department said they would submit the report to the executive engineer and to the collector after studying the technical feasibility of the four alternate routes.
Former sarpanch Benedict D’Souza said the Electricity Department has already laid 33 KVA high tension line through the fields without following proper procedures a couple of years ago.
“The people and the farmers of Parra are fighting for their rights and do not want another line to pass through their fields. If they really want to solve the power woes why don’t they carry out underground cabling instead of trying to install these poles in our fields? These power cuts are occurring due to the multi-dwelling units, which are coming up in the name of PDA,” Benedict alleged.
“They are entering our fields without our permission and last time they even brought a police force to handle us as if we are trespassing into their property,” another local alleged.
“They are digging holes to install the poles and hence the tractor will have problem while ploughing the fields. At the same time, it is unsafe for farmers as this is a high tension line,” he added.
It may be recalled that this year, farmers opposing the installation of high-voltage power lines through fields at Parra had lodged a complaint of trespass and mischief at Mapusa Police Station as the officials from the Electricity Department had no permissions. Farmers condemned the act of forceful installation of electricity poles in the fields to lay a 33 KVA line from the Thivim sub-station to the Nagoa sub-station and halted the same.
