MAPUSA
In response to the escalating power demands in Calangute, Chief Electrical Engineer (CEE) Stephen Fernandes has initiated several measures to address the persistent power issues plaguing the coastal village.
On Friday, Fernandes announced the formation of a WhatsApp group for local consumers, aiming to improve communication and resolve ongoing power problems.
During a meeting with Calangute residents led by Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira, Fernandes directed the assistant engineer in Calangute to maintain a detailed daily record of power failures in each ward, including the reasons for each outage.
Additionally, Fernandes committed to installing 200 new streetlight fixtures to address lighting deficiencies in the area.
“I want feedback from the consumers so that we can find solutions to their problems. We will form a committee of residents who will be added to a WhatsApp group managed by the sarpanch. This will help us to know your problems,” Fernandes stated during the meeting.
Despite the recent installation of a new substation and a dedicated line from Tivim, Calangute continues to face significant power issues due to the increasing load demand.
Residents from areas including Khobravaddo, Sauntavaddo, Maddhavaddo, and Naikavaddo reported frequent power failures.
Premanand Diukar, a local resident, expressed frustration, noting that the new substation was supposed to eliminate power problems.
“But it’s back to square one. There’s no improvement in power supply. We are facing constant disruption of power which is unbearable in this extreme weather condition,” Diukar lamented.
Sarpanch Sequeira highlighted that Umtavaddo, being a densely populated area near the beach, has the highest number of consumers. He requested the installation of two additional transformers to alleviate the strain on the existing infrastructure.
Adding to the grievances, Clotilda Braganza revealed that the phone number provided by the department for lodging complaints was frequently busy or deliberately kept off the hook.
Fernandes explained that the recent three-day power issue was due to a cable failure at Tivim, which has since been resolved.
He assured the villagers that a follow-up meeting would be held in a fortnight to review the situation and progress.
