Tension filled the air last week as outraged villagers along coastal Salcete gave vent to anger and threatened to hit the streets as everyday citizens faced constant power outages across days. Several villages in the area, from Cavelossim to Chinchinim, faced massive power cuts that hampered everyday life. In an unprecedented action, local sarpanchas along the coastal belt gathered to register their complaint against the prevailing situation and the lack of infrastructure and manpower to attend to issues.
Cavelossim bore the brunt by going without electricity from 9 am on Friday till 2 am on Saturday, with officials attributing the problem to burnt batteries at the Cuncolim sub-station. Ironically, villagers were told that batteries were sent to Panaji for repairs.
Power outages have been alarming in coastal Salcete, with some villagers complaining of 15 to 20 cuts daily. Inconsistent supply has been a major concern across Goa, and apart from locals, the industrial sector has been raising the issue every year. Last year, the Goa State Industries Association and Kundaim Industrial Estate representatives met Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar and discussed the adverse impact on machinery and industrial output. Ironically, successive power ministers have maintained that the situation would improve but have only flattered to deceive as the power situation has worsened over the years.
On Monday, Dhavalikar raised uncertainty over the Tamnar power transmission project in Goa with a change in government in Karnataka. This would be very unfortunate for Goa because the State was banking on Tamnar to streamline transmission, which is currently pathetic, to say the least.
It may be recalled that in 2015 the central Ministry of Power envisaged the Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Limited (GTTPL) to create an additional power source for Goa, and subsequently, a 400 KV sub-station was approved by the standing committee on power system planning and the standing committees of the western and southern regions in 2016.
The fear is that the Centre may not show interest in the Tamnar project for Karnataka since the BJP has conceded power to the Congress in that State. On the flip side, it would still be a litmus test for the Goa leadership because the State certainly needs better and consistent power.
Unfortunately, Dhavalikar has raised doubts over the project at a time when citizens across Goa are at a crossroads battling between inconsistent power and water supplies. At this rate, in times to come, the power supply could go the water supply way, and Goans may have to be content with 2-3 hours of daily power supply too.
Last July, Dhavalikar replying to the demands for grants on electricity and renewable energy, had assured the people of the State on the floor of the house to make all efforts to provide 24-hour uninterrupted power supply and another assurance of spending Rs 10 crore in every constituency for underground cabling. Lest we forget, Dhavalikar made similar promises of 24x7 water supply when he was the PWD minister.
It would be prudent if the minister exuded confidence in the double-engine sarkar and offered a ray of hope. The people of Goa need solutions, not problems.
