TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Herald’s news item on shortage of CFL bulbs plunging the Margao flyover into pitch dark triggered hectic activity in the Power department on Wednesday, with Power Minister Milind Naik directing his officials to go in for procurement of the bulbs from the open market to tide over the situation.
That’s not all. A team of power personnel descended at the Margao flyover-Colmorod stretch of the road to replace the non-functioning lamps. It is learnt that the central stores at the Aquem power house released around 50 CFL bulbs to the Margao division with a direction to immediately replace the faulty lamps. However, given that the flyover-Colmorod road plays host to 35 electric poles with 70 lamps, the 50 lamps sanctioned by the department may not be suffice, source said.l
“We managed to replace a few lamps on Wednesday and will be return back to Colmorod on Thursday with a mechanical ladder”, power officials in the know said.
Herald understands that Margao MLA Digambar Kamat also called the concerned Power official to seek status of the stock of CFL bulbs with the central stores. After discussions, the Margao MLA called up Power Minister, Milind Naik to inform him over the situation in the stores and the need to procure additional bulbs before the ensuing Diwali festival.
Sources said the Power Minister told Kamat that he has instructed the Chief Electrical Engineer to ask all Executive engineers to go in for procurement from the open market on an urgent basis.
Local officials further informed that the office of the Power Minister also sought a report on the number of CFL bulbs required in Margao city.
