Sri Vijaya Puram, October 15: Our Rights Organization, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, has written to the Lt. Governor, A&N Islands, requesting immediate intervention and the constitution of a High-Level Enquiry Committee regarding frequent power outages, severe voltage fluctuations and damage to electrical appliances across the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
In the letter, Mr. C. Saravanan, Chairman of the organisation, drew attention to the serious concerns being faced by the general public due to frequent power outages, severe voltage fluctuations and the resulting damage to household electrical appliances across the islands. He stated that the problem is not confined to Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) and other parts of South Andaman District, and that the general public of North & Middle Andaman is also facing similar difficulties, causing widespread inconvenience and hardship to residents across the islands.
He said it is deeply concerning that, despite consumers paying their electricity bills regularly, the reliability and quality of the power supply remain unsatisfactory. Frequent interruptions and fluctuations in voltage have become a matter of serious public concern, particularly considering the high electricity tariffs paid by consumers in these islands.
The situation is adversely affecting students in their studies, households in their daily activities, and hospitals and other healthcare facilities that depend on a reliable electricity supply. Small businesses and other establishments are also facing difficulties due to the unpredictable nature of the power supply. Furthermore, sudden voltage fluctuations and irregular electricity supply are reportedly causing damage to household electrical appliances, including televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, computers and other electronic equipment, placing an additional financial burden on ordinary families, who are compelled to incur expenses on repairs and replacement of damaged appliances.
The organisation has requested that a High-Level Enquiry Committee be constituted to conduct a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the actual ground realities of power generation, availability, distribution and supply across the islands. The proposed committee may be entrusted with examining: power generation and availability, including the actual generation capacity, electricity demand, availability of generating units and reasons for any shortfall; the causes of repeated power cuts and interruptions in South, North and Middle Andaman; the technical reasons for abnormal voltage fluctuations and deficiencies in the existing distribution network; the inspection of power stations, generators, transformers, transmission and distribution lines and other related infrastructure to determine whether adequate maintenance and necessary upgrades are being carried out; the collection of complaints from affected consumers and examination of reported damage to household electrical appliances; the identification of administrative or technical shortcomings, wherever established, with corrective measures and a clear timeline for implementation; and sustainable measures for ensuring a stable, safe, reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply throughout the islands.
The organisation further requested that the enquiry committee include appropriate technical experts and senior officials and that its findings and recommendations be made available to the public in the interest of transparency and accountability.
Stating that electricity is an essential public utility and that the people of these islands are entitled to a reliable and safe power supply, Mr. Saravanan appealed to the Lt. Governor to intervene immediately, constitute the proposed committee and direct the concerned authorities to take urgent remedial measures to address the grievances of the general public across South, North and Middle Andaman.
