CANACONA
Power Minister Nilesh Cabral on Tuesday offered a ray of hope to several power-related issues in Canacona constituency, promised a fault-free and better power services by March-end.
Cabral was interacting with residents during his tour of all six villages and the municipality in Canacona constituency, to sort out public complaints and suggestions. Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes accompanied Cabral during his day-long tour.
Cabral told the people at various meetings that he would take the responsibility to resolve issues on low voltage, LED street lights and other power-related issues.
“Give me two months up to March end and by April, I will see all your grievances are resolved to your satisfaction,” assured Cabral.
The locals had put forth several demands, which included the deployment of more staff and posting of junior engineers at technical sub-offices, replacement of faulty transformers to resolve low voltage problems, mobile transformers to meet exigencies, availability of a crane at the Canacona electricity office, changing all street lights to LED fixtures, replacement of broken/damaged electricity poles and provision of guard wires to safeguard humans and animals from falling wires.
During his visit to Agonda, Sarpanch Pramod Phaldessai demanded additional staff and a permanent JE at the Agonda Section office. He claimed that the office covers a vast area from Agonda to Cabo-de-Rama and people have been forced to wait for a long time to get their faults attended.
Other residents said Agonda is a tourism centre and power failures affected locals and tourists alike. They demanded a Mobile Transformer at the disposal of the Agonda Section office.
In Canacona municipality, residents put forth several grievances and some ex-councillors complained about erratic electricity in the municipality.
The power minister then proceeded to Shristhal, Gaondongrem and Cotigao, where residents in all three villages put forth their complaints.
Responding to widespread complaints about streetlights, Cabral said the government is planning a scheme through which street lights would be managed from funds to be raised from consumers.
Commenting on the performance of staff, Cabral said 99% of electricity staff have been efficient.
“However, our department is being criticised because of a few non-performing staff,” he said.
A team of electricity department officials accompanying the minister included Chief Executive Engineer Rajiv Sawant, Executive Engineer Rajendra Sawant, Executive Engineer Sandip Prabhudessai, Canacona Assistant Engineer Sanjay Gaonkar and junior engineers.
ZP (Khola)Shanu Velip was present in Agonda and Shristhal villages, while ZP (Poinguinim) Shobhana Velip accompanied the minister in Gaondongrim, Cotigao, Poinguinim and Loliem-Polem villages.
Among the sarpanchas present during the minister’s visit included Pandurang Gaonkar (Shristhal), Suman Gaonkar (Gaondongrim), Daya Gaonkar (Cotigao), Jagdish Gaonkar (Poinguinim), Sachin Naik (Loliem) and Pramod Phaldessai (Agonda).
Canacona Deputy Collector Satish Prabhu and Mamlatdar Vimod Dalal were among the taluka officials also present for the interaction at Chaudi-Canacona.
