Historic Achievement: Great Andamanese population in Strait Island Now Enjoy 24/7 Electricity Supply

John Wilbert & Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Aug 17: In a monumental accomplishment within the Power Sector, the Great Andamanese, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) residing in the ‘Strait Islands’, have successfully attained round-the-clock electricity supply. This achievement marks a significant stride towards progress and development for this marginalized community.
Rani Surmae, the Chief of the Great Andamanese people, expressed profound gratitude to the Lt. Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as well as the Chief Secretary of the A & N Administration and the electricity department. With heartfelt appreciation, she stated, “We are overjoyed to finally experience the luxury of 24/7 electricity in our islands. This pivotal development empowers our children to engage in quality education and pave the way for a brighter future.”
Prior to this historic accomplishment, the tribal people residing on Strait Island had appealed to the Andaman administration and the Chief Secretary for immediate intervention. Their plea focused on securing a continuous and uninterrupted 24/7 electricity supply to the homes of all Great Andamanese tribal members.
The dedicated efforts of the Electricity Department came to fruition a few months ago when a new DG Set (Diesel Generator Set) was installed on the Strait Islands. Following an operational trial period that commenced last week, the DG Set finally started full time operation recently.
Formerly, electricity supply to the islands had been facilitated through a solar power plant before being rendered non-operational due to a fire incident post-tsunami. In response, two DG Sets were installed to meet the power requirements of the community. However, challenges arose due to staff shortages, with only one permanent electricity department staff and four contractual staff, including a non-tribal member, being allocated to the Strait Islands. The ageing DG Sets posed further constraints, leading to power supply availability exclusively during evening and night hours, from 05:00 PM to 05:00 AM.