Team Herald
PORVORIM: The legislators from ruling as well as Opposition benches cornered the State government on Tuesday over increasing power fluctuations, inadequate supply and non-functioning of the LED street lights across Goa.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who was replying on behalf of ailing Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar, said that electric conductors across the State will be replaced by spending Rs 55.5 crores and efforts are on to cover entire coastal belt area with underground cables.
He also informed that a co-ordination committee under District Collectors is constituted for granting permissions for road digging, as rampant and unplanned digging has resulted into cables getting cut leading to power failures.
During Question Hour, on Tuesday morning, three different questions were raised by Congress MLA Digambar Kamat, Congress Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa and Congress Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes on issues pertaining to power breakdown, poor conditions of electric conductors, non-functioning of LED street lights and pending load shedding approvals. The MLAs from ruling bench ‑ BJP‘s Nilesh Cabral, MGP’s Deepak Pawaskar and Independent Prasad Gaonkar ‑ also spoke on the issue.
Kamat pointed out that in Margao constituency alone there have been nearly 160 power interruptions from May till date. “The incoming power is a major failure. The electric conductors at Nesai, supplying power to Margao and surrounding areas, are in completely bad shape and need to be replaced at the earliest,” he said.
The former chief minister also recommended that government should empanel contractors, who will take up all kinds of works related to power.
BJP’s Cabral also said that non-functioning of power sub-stations at Sheldem, has resulted into major power crisis in the interior areas of South.
Replying to the same, Parrikar informed that State government will float tender in August to replace electric conductors across the State by spending Rs 55.5 crores, which is already been approved by Finance Department.
Chief Minister also informed the House that all applications for power load connections have been cleared. “100 per cent pendency has been cleared,” he said.
Later, Nuvem MLA D’Sa questioned the delay in laying underground cables covering his entire constituency. He also said that the LED street lights, which were put spending crores of rupees are left without maintenance and at present are not in working condition.
The MLA was backed by his colleague from Cuncolim Clafasio Dias, who has brought to the notice of the House about non-functioning of LED street lights.
Replying to this, Parrikar said that government is considering to cover entire Coastal belt with underground cabling.
As far as LED lights are concerned, Chief Minister said that in the first phase total 1.70 lakh street lights were replaced. Central government agency was entrusted with the task of installing and maintaining the same. “However, the agency further issued a sub-contractor, who failed to maintain these lights. I have issued directions to the agency to ensure that all the system is in place to maintain these street lights failing which, they would be taken for task,” he said.
He said that by September, LED street lights allocated would be resolved to some extent and then government will go ahead with second phase installation.
