Mayabunder, July 23: Former Pramukh of Mayabunder, Mr. Abdul Siddique, has raised serious concerns over the continuing power crisis in Mayabunder and the absence of key engineering staff in Mayabunder Unit of the Electricity Department. In a letter addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of North and Middle Andaman, Mr. Siddique has drawn attention to frequent and prolonged power cuts that have severely impacted the daily life of residents.
He stated that many locals have approached him, expressing their frustration over the erratic electricity supply, which has continued despite Mayabunder having its own dedicated power house at Panighat. “The power house, commissioned around 4-5 years ago to reduce dependence on Diglipur and Rangat, is equipped with sufficient generators and high-capacity engines. Yet, the department has failed to ensure consistent supply,” he wrote.
Highlighting the present cyclonic weather conditions, Mr. Siddique noted that line faults caused by fallen tree branches have worsened the power situation. While residents have shown understanding during the adverse weather, he emphasized that even under normal conditions, power supply remains unreliable.
Mr. Siddique further pointed out that the irregular supply has affected essential services like the R.P. Hospital, where patients are suffering due to the lack of adequate backup generators. Banking operations and government office functioning have also been hit, and students are struggling to continue their studies amid constant outages. Businesses dealing in perishable goods have reportedly incurred significant losses.
The former Pramukh strongly criticized the absence of a regular Assistant Engineer (AE) and Junior Engineer (JE) in Mayabunder since the retirement of the previous AE in September or October last year. The officer holding charge is currently stationed in Diglipur, while the additional charge of JE is being handled by an officer from Nimbudera. “This arrangement is highly impractical, especially during emergencies,” he remarked.
Raising further concerns, he claimed that calls to the electricity site office in Mayabunder often go unanswered, despite there being staff designated to handle complaints. He suggested that the department, like hospitals and fire services, should operate a dedicated 24/7 helpline for attending public grievances.
On behalf of the residents, Mr. Siddique has urged the administration to immediately post a regular AE and JE in Mayabunder and instruct the current in-charge AE to be physically stationed at the district headquarters. He called for urgent action in public interest to address the worsening power situation in the region.
