With several parts of Maharashtra, especially the Konkan region, being prone to natural calamities, resulting in frequent loss of power supply, the Power Department is planning to set up its own disaster management cell.
“Natural calamities like floods, incessant rains, cyclones and landslides damage electricity distribution, generation and supply. The department is planning to set up its own disaster management cell to minimise damages,” said State Power Minister Nitin Raut, who is on a tour of flood-hit regions in Konkan and western Maharashtra.
Mr. Raut said power distribution lines lie in the open and are the first to suffer damages. “We need to find a solution and the new cell will work on that,” he said, adding that the department had managed to start restoration work despite the difficult terrain.
Incessant rain in Maharashtra had disrupted power supply in 1,942 villages and affected 9.60 lakh consumers in urban areas. The Minister said supply to 1,617 villages and 7.53 lakh consumers has been restored so far. Of 14,737 affected transformers, 11,368 have resumed functioning, while 404 of the 489 damaged power lines have been restored.
The Minister said in view of the frequency of natural disasters affecting the Konkan region, he would be requesting Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up a permanent base of the National Disaster Response Force in the region.