the goan I network
PANAJI
"The company which was given this contract had assured to complete all the work by May, but it was delayed due to Assembly as well as panchayat elections. Installation of LED lights on 1.3 lakh poles has been already completed and the remaining 50,000 will be done before Chaturthi," Madkaikar assured on the floor of the House.
M/s Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has awarded the work of installation and annual maintenance of LED streetlights for Goa after following due e-tendering process to M/s BVG India Pvt Ltd, Pune. The period of contract is nine months from the date of commencement of work for completion and maintenance for eight years. However, the State Government has not incurred any expenditure till date, but the order value is Rs 92.34 crore approximately.
Lamenting over the work of the company, Madkaikar said, "The company installed the lights, but failed to install the panel to control the switching of these lights."
Madkaikar also informed that the company has been asked to complete the work on the installation of LEDs on poles, division-wise, including panel fixing and deploying of maintenance team.
"While giving the contract we had said the company would install as well as maintain these lights. As it is a maintenance contract, department linemen do not interfere in their work. The company was supposed to have two teams for maintenance for every 2000 streetlights, but they couldn't do it due to shortage of manpower. Now we have issued a circular to all divisions for maintenance of LED to be carried out by the linemen of the department," informed Madkaikar.
In another written reply, Madkaikar informed that in order to minimise power
failures, the department has initiated steps like tree-cutting, replacement of deteriorated poles, greasing of AB switches, maintenance of lines
and equipment, re-jumpering of 33KV lines and other important measures.
575 hrs of power shutdown
between June 9 and July 5
PANAJI: A total of 575 hours of power failure was recorded by the power department over the last month.
In response to a question tabled by Velim MLA Filipe Nery Rodrigues, Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar informed that the state of Goa has suffered a total of 575 hours of power shutdown between June 9 and July 5.
The figure is a combined total of all the power shutdowns experienced in various parts of Goa during the aforementioned period of time. Power Minister Madkaikar assured the House that in order to minimize power failures, appropriate measures such as replacement of deteriorated poles and conductors, re-jumpering of 33KV lines, conversion of distribution system from overhead to underground system, enhancement of transformer capacity and reconditioning of power transformers are already being carried out.
Most of the power cuts, which lasted for over an hour, were caused by strong monsoon winds and fallen trees which damaged electricity lines.
The longest power shut downs lasted for almost 26 hours when on June 17 a conductor snapped at Naveli.
LEDs to replace sodium lamps: Ajgaonkar
the goan I network
MAPUSA
Tourism Minister Manohar (Babu) Ajgaonkar has stated that Goa Tourism Development Corporation has decided to change the existing sodium vapour lamps installed on high masts to LED lamps in the entire State for better maintenance and low power consumption.
The tourism minister was replying to a question tabled by Tivim MLA, Nilkant Halarnkar, in the Goa assembly.
Ajgaonkar informed that sodium vapour lamps installed on high masts fused off within a year and the tender for repair and maintenance of the high mast lamps has been invited.
"Once repaired, the successful bidder will have to maintain the lamps for five years. In the first phase, 32 lamps will be converted into LEDs in which Tivim high mast lamps are also included," Ajgaonkar said.
The lamps are expected to be repaired by October.
He said out of eight high mast lamps installed in Tivim, only one was in working condition while the other seven were working partially.
The high mast lamp at Naka junction, Colvale, was in working condition, while seven others at Assonora bus-stand, road cross Colvale junction, near Teleyant Chapel Revora, Talap junction Pirna, Rashtroli Temple Sirsaim, Wadi-Nadora and football ground Tivim were partially working, he said.
The government had spent an amount of Rs 2.78 lakh for repairs of at least seven high masts in Tivim.
