PONDA: Residents of Kavlem and Talaulim grapple with major power cuts lasting for extended periods, forcing them to rely on candlelight and reminiscent of the bygone days of kerosene lamps.
The crisis has persisted for the past two weeks, with power failures lasting from two to five hours daily, particularly at nights.
Villagers are demanding immediate action from the Electricity Department to address the problem. The power outages are believed to be linked to the recent high tension testing work going on of underground cabling, which may have caused faults in the power supply.
The power department officials have been unsuccessful in identifying and resolving the frequent breakdowns.
Local Mahesh Naik pointed out that power failures have become a regular occurrence, with prolonged outages during night posing significant challenges for commuters, especially bike riders. The combination of navigating through dark streets, dug-up roads due to underground cabling work and pothole-ridden roads becomes hazardous during power outages.
Naik emphasised that the situation has persisted for nearly a month, and immediate intervention is necessary.
Senior officials from the department however refuted the claims of frequent power cuts and stated that trees getting uprooted and falling on the electrical lines was the cause of power outages particularly in forest areas.
