Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 30: Zilla Parishad Member of Kadamtala, Mr. Subrata Basu, has raised serious concerns over the prolonged power crisis in Kadamtala and surrounding areas of Middle Andaman, along with issues related to roads, water supply, healthcare and tourism infrastructure.
Speaking on the ongoing electricity situation, Mr. Basu said several areas from 12-Ton to Betapur and Billiground, which receive power from the Nimbutala Power House, have been facing severe disruption for the past several days. He said the 1,000 kVA DG set at Kadamtala broke down around three to four days before the two DG sets at Nimbutala stopped operating in parallel. The existing 320 kVA DG set at Kadamtala was already non-functional, while the 500 kVA set at 12-Ton was operational.
According to Basu, the old 320 kVA generator is now capable of producing only around 150–200 kVA and can supply only one or two transformers. He also alleged that several areas are receiving extremely low voltage, with some locations getting only 100–110 volts against the required 220 volts. He specifically mentioned Atarji, Buramali, Katra, Bamboo Tekri and Shantipura as areas facing serious low-voltage problems.
Mr. Basu questioned why the 1,000 kVA generator at Kadamtala had not been repaired despite being out of service for several days. He also questioned the administrative arrangements following the transfer and relieving of Junior Engineers and the absence of the regular Assistant Engineer, who, he said, has been away on medical treatment.
He said the Electricity Department had earlier committed to shifting another 1,000 kVA DG set from Nimbutala to Kadamtala by August 15, but alleged that the commitment had not been fulfilled. He further claimed that inadequate or overloaded transformers were contributing to low-voltage problems and said frequent voltage fluctuations were damaging household electrical and electronic appliances.
Mr. Basu also raised concerns over the prolonged construction of National Highway works in North and Middle Andaman. He questioned the repeated tendering and delays in different NH packages and said the condition of roads was affecting connectivity and tourism prospects.
He also highlighted village roads, water supply and healthcare facilities, saying several public infrastructure projects continue to face shortcomings. While acknowledging that the PHC at Kadamtala provides reasonable services, he said higher-level healthcare facilities often refer patients to G.B. Pant Hospital.
Calling for collective action, Mr.Basu urged residents of North and Middle Andaman to raise their concerns peacefully and collectively. He said improved electricity, roads and water supply were essential for attracting tourists, creating employment and improving living conditions in the region.
