Nine hour long power cut due to HSD shortage leaves Great Nicobar public fuming

Staff Correspondent
Campbell Bay, April 17: Shortage of fuel has triggered a big power crisis at Campbell Bay in the Nicobar group of islands. According to reports, the Electricity Department has imposed nine hours of power-cuts in the area since Friday after HSD stock with the agency exhausted. Negligence of the officials handling the task of HSD transport is said to be the main reason behind the power crisis.
According to reports, the Electricity Department of Campbell Bay is exercising power-cuts from 4 am to 9 am and from 1 pm to 5 pm since Saturday. The sudden infliction of power outages has left locals enraged who are now alleging discrimination by the officials of the Electricity Department.
“Campbell Bay in the southern group of islands has always been neglected by various departments of the administration. Supply of HSD to the Electricity Department to provide 24 hour power supply to the residents here remain routinely disrupted albeit the fact the electricity generation in these islands is solely dependent on HSD. Officials were well aware of the depleting stock of HSD here, but made no efforts to replenish the stock to prevent hardships to the consumers. Realising that HSD stock is depleting, the Electricity Office here imposed heavy power-cuts since Friday causing all sorts of problems to the people. Strict action should be taken against officials responsible for the lapse and the adequate fuel stock should be dispatched immediately so that normal power supply in restored here,” said a resident of Campbell Bay.
HSD fuel is the major source of power generation in these islands and almost every Islands in the archipelago is provided electricity by Diesel Generators. Though it’s the primary responsibility of the Electricity Department to maintain adequate stock of fuel at every division, the Department faces accusations of negligence in maintaining fuel stock at regular intervals.
Meanwhile, sources said that the Campbell Bay unit always have HSD old of 15 days as buffer stock and according to latest report the HSD oil has now been dispatched for Campbell Bay and it will reach Campbell Bay within three days. “If there is buffer stock and new stock will reach Campbell Bay soon, there is no point of such power cuts,” alleged a resident of Campbell Bay.