John Wilbert &Vikramaditya
Port Blair, sept 18: In the dark and seeking answers, the residents of South Andaman District have been grappling with persistent power cuts over the past week. Today however the situation worsened as a large area in South Andaman experienced a power outage lasting over seven hours. To add insult to injury, many areas reported low voltage issues, adding to the residents’ woes. The majority of the people felt blindsided, with little to no understanding of the reasons behind these prolonged outages.
The heart of the matter seems to stem from the Chatham power plant. A senior officer from the Electricity Department, who does not want his name to be quoted, shed light on the issue when contacted by Andaman Sheekha Daily. “We have faced a technical glitch at the Chatham power plant which led to a power break. Our teams are actively working to resolve the issue, and we hope to restore power once the situation stabilizes. We have also escalated the issue to higher authorities,”he revealed.
The power predicament hasn’t just caused discomfort; it has real consequences for the General Public. Residents of both Port Blair and its adjoining Panchayat areas have been subjected to recurring outages from dawn till dusk. These disruptions have severely impacted the daily lives of everyone.
Moreover, local businesses, particularly those in the tourism sector like small hotels and homestays, have been hit hard. They are facing mounting financial losses due to their inability to offer comfortable services to guests amidst the power disruptions. Running DG Sets for several hours by many hotels is adding up to their losses.
The Electricity Department official further explained, “the technical glitch has affected the entire substation of South Andaman’s feeder. This disruption is the primary reason residents have been facing these power cuts.”
It seems that as far as power and ATR issues the Andaman & Nicobar Administration has become totally helpless. The General Public now has a feeling that there is no one in Administration who is bothered about the problems and pains being faced by Islanders.
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