PANAJI
As the power needs of Goa continue to rise, a increase in dialogue between the Electricity Department and the consumers has to take place. Consistent rise rise in demand is expected as the State continues to modernise.
Bringing together industry, consumers and the department on table is the need of the hour. If the industry feels that the department is favouring the consumers, it also has to understand that the consumers are voters too, and the department has to keep them happy. This is the simple logic behind it, feels GOACAN.
Pointing at the two big projects that are coming up on either side of the State, the Mopa Airport and the CAIGA Sea Bird project, GOACAN convenor asks, “What is the thinking of the people in industry? What is the future of power in the industry? The travel and tourism as well as hospitality industry would be in need of more power now. So what the Indian government is thinking, how the international agencies that would wish to invest in Goa or to offer loans to the industries in Goa, look at this situation is also to be pondered over. What are the expectations of those who support the industry should also be taken into consideration.”
The TAMNAR project has attracted negative fame. There is opposition to the transmission lines. Why should there be an opposition to a project that is going to be beneficial to the consumers? Failing to understand this, Martins opines that the end-consumers should not be bothered from where the power comes. They focus on the situation in their own ward. They need power and want it by any means.
“The first thing that the department should do is to resolve few things. There is need to establish a power advisory committee, which was recommended in 2005. Bringing together industry, consumers and the department on table is the need of the hour. For a dialogue to happen at the institutional level an advisory committee is a must not only on the state level but on the taluka level,” suggests GOACAN.
The local population in Goa is 16 lakh. The tourism minister disclosed recently that this year 90 lakh tourists are coming to Goa and next year it will be 1.20 crore. The manufacturing industry needs power. What is the consumption of the hospitality industry? Goa does not manufacture electricity. So from where and how would all these power requirements be fulfilled is a crucial question. The State should emphasis on solar power usage. When the bills are sent, they should have information on solar power in easy language. The people should also exercise their right to know. There is no information available easily. The website provides complicated diagrams. The information should be simplified for public to understand.
In the coming years, the department officials should visit every taluka, each wada to disseminate information. And the various industries, including pharmaceutical, manufacturing and hospitality, should have active engagement with each other and the department. The government should take cognizance of the issues that the consumers face. It should also educate on how to protect the infrastructure. After all it is constructed with tax-payer’s money. If a transformer is damaged, a pole has fallen or wires are broken the people should communicate this to the department. They should have confidence that their complaints will be heard.
“The department should take this as a challenge for 2023 that it would reach out to the smallest consumer,” GOACAN convenor concluded.
