MAPUSA
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Venzy Viegas on Monday questioned the State government’s failure to compensate electricity consumers for frequent power outages, even as it continues to collect fines for delayed bill payments.
Citing guidelines from the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC), Viegas demanded to know whether affected consumers, particularly in areas like Mayem, would receive compensation or billing discounts.
“Consumers in Mayem face repeated power disruptions. The government collects fines from them for late payment, but when will you compensate them for failed service?” Viegas asked during Question Hour in the Goa Legislative Assembly.
Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar acknowledged that compensation is mandated under the Electricity Act. However, he said any such move must apply uniformly across the State.
“Yes, compensation is required under the Act, but it must be implemented across all of Goa. We are working on the infrastructure that previous governments, especially the Congress, failed to develop,” Dhavalikar said.
The minister was responding to concerns raised earlier by Mayem MLA Premendra Shet, who flagged the issue of constant power interruptions in his constituency and sought a detailed response from the government.
Dhavalikar attributed the frequent outages to multiple causes, including 11KV feeders passing through hilly forested terrain, leading to snapped conductors due to fallen trees and dense vegetation.
He also cited planned shutdowns for routine maintenance work at substations and power yards as contributing to the disruptions.
To address the issue, Dhavalikar said the power department is carrying out extensive remedial measures, including trimming tree branches, replacing damaged or weak conductors and jumpers and periodic maintenance of equipment such as transformers, circuit breakers, and isolators.
He added that the government has undertaken a phased project to convert overhead power lines into underground networks in Mayem and nearby areas. “Works worth Rs 140 crore have been approved, and tenders amounting to Rs 110 crore have already been floated,” he informed the House.
On a related note, the minister also assured legislators that arrangements for electrical illumination at Visarjan (immersion) points during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival are made every year.
