Team Herald
CUNCOLIM: Agitated Cuncolkars demanded resignation of Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar for failure to provide uninterrupted power supply in Cuncolim.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik, Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias, Chandor Sarpanch Celina Curtasy, Balli Sarpanch Rajesh Fal Dessai, South Goa Congress Committee President Koe Dias, Pratima Coutinho, Vice Chairperson of Cuncolim Municipal council Shashank Dessai, Councillors, panch members and locals took out a morcha and demanded a written assurance from the department to solve the persistent power failure problems.
In his defence, the officer on duty presented a copy of order issued by the power minister to initiate work to put the power problems in the region in order.
Agitated Cuncolkars and Congress leaders criticised the power minister for calling the agitation as a stunt by the local MLA.
Senior Congressman, who is also the son of soil, Shantaram Naik warned the power minister not to play with the sentiments of Cuncolkars. “We are fighters, it’s we Cuncolkars who fought the first war of liberation,” Naik said.
Shantaram criticised the power minister and BJP government for their failure in curbing power problems.
The local MLA Dias said right from the day he got elected he has received complaints from the locals about power failure and he had apprised the power minister and officers regarding this. “I even raised this issue in the Assembly and the power minister had promised us to solve this problem within a week. However nothing was done for months,” he said.
The CMC Vice Chairperson also blamed power minister for his failure. All those who spoke asked the power minister to solve the problems within 15 days.
Police were also deployed to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile, sources in the electricity department revealed that the power minister had taken cognisance of the power failure in Cuncolim and the department was issued green signal for Rs 7.5 crore works. This will include the installation of new transformers, replacement of old lines, etc.
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Irregular rains, regular power cuts
It is time Goans wake up and come out on to the streets to highlight the issue of frequent power cuts across the State. In the last few days, the intermittent pre-monsoon showers, have led to regular power interruptions in Panjim, Merces, Porvorim, Sankhali, Valpoi, Canacona, Margao and Quepem. The Electricity Department says that the existing infrastructure at substations is not adequate to handle the load and to ensure the supply to meet the needs of the people. On the other hand people have questioned the department that if there are so many power outages due to the pre-monsoon showers what will be the scenario when the monsoon actually starts. Electricity Department also said that the supply has worsened recently due to lightning and gusty winds while claiming that other reason is due to digging of the roads. Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar on Friday had said the State is facing power problems due to old infrastructure and claimed that underground cabling is the only solution to power woes.
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Panjim commercial areas to be WITHOUT POWER today
PANJIM: Electricity Department on Saturday said that the EDC Patto plaza area and commercial areas will be without power from 6am to 6pm on Sunday. “The entire commercial area of Panjim on HT lines and entire Patto will not have power supply tomorrow from 6am to 6pm as a shutdown has been planned. EDC substation will be taking up maintenance as till now they not taken a single shut down,” Chief Electrical Engineer (CEC) Neelkanth Reddy said.
He added, “Secondly the Kadamba substation which is feeding Tiswadi taluka will also be taking the maintenance and some shifting tomorrow.”
