The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) would continue maintenance works and trim tree branches in the district till June 28, said an official of the Corporation here.
The Tangedco is taking up tree branch trimming and maintenance works such as attending to leaning poles and sagging lines across the State.
“We have studied areas in the district where there are problems. Maintenance works were not taken up for nine months and so this work is taken up as an emergency now,” the official said. The works were done in a select area every day within three hours. If one area was identified for a particular day, the Tangedco would not return to the same area the next day.
Works were taken up in a particular area only on one day. So the public should not believe rumours that there would be disruption in supply every day, the official added.
In Coimbatore region, which covers Coimbatore, Tiruppur and the Nilgiris districts, the works were on in seven distribution circles. These had 1,135 electricity feeders of 161 sub-stations. Almost 1,600 personnel were engaged in the maintenance works. Since June 19 when the works commenced, tree clearance works had been carried out in 29,000 locations, resagging of lines at 330 locations, straightening of leaned poles at 100 locations, and replacement of damaged poles at 100 locations, the official added.
K. Kathirmathiyon, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, said the Tangedco should look at shutting down sub-stations once a month or once in two months for maintenance works. Or it should take up the works regularly once in three months. Maintenance works were essential and the public should also understand the need for disruption in supply for such works. It would not be enough to take up the works just for three hours now.
Similarly, if saplings were planted below the electricity lines, the Tangedco should ensure that such saplings were replanted away from the power lines. If the saplings had grown to a certain height, the branches should be cut so that the power lines were not disrupted, he added.