Meeting held to discuss power supply disruptions, streetlight maintenance

NT NETWORK

 

PANAJI

Following the directions from the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is holding the charge of the power portfolio in the absence of Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar, the electricity department  began holding meetings at sub-division level to resolve the power problems in the state.

On Monday, first such meeting of Bicholim and Mapusa sub-divisions, catering to Bicholim,  Mayem, Porvorim, Saligao and Mapusa constituencies, was held at the Secretariat; the meeting was chaired by the Power Secretary Neela Mohanan.

Meetings at various sub-division level will continued to be held till Friday with the people’s representatives like local MLA, zilla panchayat and village panchayat members and councillors attending them.

Speaking to the media, after the meeting, the Power Secretary informed that common issues that were discussed included power supply disruptions due to  falling of trees or branches on overhead power supply lines, besides poor maintenance of LED streetlights.

“There are grievances of power failures during the monsoon season due to falling of trees on overhead lines. During the meeting, directions were given to concerned engineers of the sub-division to immediately take up the work of cutting tree branches which are on the power supply lines,” she said.

Mohanan also informed that many long term measures like additional sub stations, and replacement of conductors, transformers and poles were discussed, and added that the ongoing work of putting aerial bunched cables in some areas was reviewed at the meeting.

As far as the maintenance of LED streetlights is concerned, she said that the government will soon hold separate meeting with the agency, which is engaged in installing the LED streetlights.

According to her, over 85 per cent area in the state has been covered under LED streetlights.

Saligao MLA and Ports Minister, Jayesh Salgaonkar who attended the meeting said that the government has approved 33kV power supply line from Colvale power grid to Saligao, besides Rs 13 crore work order for changing old transformers, conductors and lines as well as underground power cabling in the constituency has been issued to the contractor.

Bicholim MLA Rajesh Patnekar informed that he along with the local representatives explained all the problems related to power supply in his constituency to the department and also suggested some solutions.

“I am satisfied with the exercise taken up by the department following the directions by the Chief Minister to resolve power supply problems in the state” he added.

It was also informed during the meeting that the Sal power sub-station was in the final stage of finance approval and once completed it would provide the people in the Bicholim area uninterrupted power supply.

The issue of cutting trees and disposing of the cut trees was also discussed, and the officials from the concerned power sub-stations were informed to take along with them a junior engineer to monitor the work.

Meanwhile, additional vehicles would be provided to the sub-stations for electricity officials to travel to the place where the power supply has disrupted in order to rectify the problem.