Rabindranath Biswas
Wimberly Gunj, August 01: The normal life of the residents of Wimberly Gunj Gram Panchayat and other adjoining areas is being severely paralysed with the erratic power supply in the region for the last couple of weeks.
Speaking to Andaman Sheekha Daily, the Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Wimberly Gunj, Mr. K Venkat Ram Babu said that after every 1-2 hour interval, and without any time-frame, there is reportedly a protracted power cut and which has put the people of Wimberly Gunj and its adjoining areas in real trouble. Though the duration of the power outage varies, the power disruption has become a regular feature in Wimberly Gunj and its adjoining areas nowadays, the Pradhan informed.
Amidst this crippling situation thrown by the unplanned prolonged load shedding, the Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Wimberly Gunj Mr. K Venkat Ram Babu along with Up-Pradhan of the Panchayat Mr. Abdul Rehman, Zilla Parishad Member, Brindwan & Kanya Puram Constituency Mr. V. K. Abdul Aziz, Up-Pradhan, GP Stewart Gunj, Samsuddin, Up-Pradhan, GP Mannarghat Mr. Naufal, PRIs, Ex-PRIs, Social Workers and general public met the Junior Engineer of the Electricity Dept. in Wimberly Gunj Site Office yesterday and presented their inconveniences owing to the erratic power supply in the region. After hearing to the PRIs, the JE reportedly also shared with the PRIs the reasons behind this unplanned prolonged load shedding, and the demands raised by the PRIs are reportedly beyond the purview of the JEs concerned and which is why the disruption in the power supply happens. And then, after the discussion in the Office of the JE at Wimberly Gunj, the PRIs team led by Mr. V. K. Abdul Aziz & Mr. K Venkat Ram Babu met the Assistant Engineer, Electricity Department in his Office located in Ferrargunj Tehsil later yesterday. The concerned JE also reportedly accompanied the PRIs who then held talks with the AE. In a similar fashion, the PRIs of the region presented their grievance to the AE in an elaborate form and urged for immediate solution to this erratic power supply. The PRIs told the AE that there is reportedly no proper schedule of power cuts in the region. And as a result of which, the residents have to face the wrath of the situation. Students face severe inconveniences in the morning hours in their daily routine tasks, while office-goers also have to face the similar kind of problems, they said. Though, the power cut is undesirable, if the power cut is applied, then it should be with proper schedule; people will at least remain informed and will accordingly do their task at home, they maintained. But, the irregular power cut and that too a protracted one lingering on for hours together is quite exasperating and which hampers their daily routine works severely, they lamented. There are reportedly at least 6 – 8 hours unscheduled power cuts in 24 hours, they rued. And to the utter dismay of the electricity consumers, there is no reduction in electric bill amount; when there was no power cut, the bills were of the same amount as that of the bills now being served, they alleged. The PRIs suggested that there should be uninterrupted power supply in the region, and if the constraints don’t permit the Dept. to provide an uninterrupted power supply at the moment, then the Dept. should at least maintain a proper schedule so that people don’t suffer. Mr. V. K. Abdul Aziz & Mr. K Venkat Ram Babu then emphasized the need for issuance of a press note in respect of scheduled power cuts in the region. And at the same time, they urged the higher authority to expedite the work for installation of a backup power plant to neutralize the impact of this power cut.
The AE heard the PRIs with patience and then said that he would take up the matter and demands raised by them with senior officials, and will reportedly initiate efforts to update the PRI Members about the load shedding and unplanned grid outages, they said.
However, Mr. K Venkat Ram Babu further told ASD that the PRIs will reportedly wait and see till 10th August if there is any improvement in the power supply, and if the power supply isn’t restored before 10th of this month, they will reportedly hold mass dharna in Ferrargunj Tehsil, they threatened.
