PANAJI
Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar on Thursday said a dedicated junior engineer and supporting linemen would be exclusively made available to maintain and repair street lights.
He also informed that the damaged street light fixtures would be sent to Pune for repairs and once repaired, would be made available for use.
Dhavalikar said the power department will set up a substation at Verna for the benefit of industries, while a substation would also be set up at Saligao to benefit coastal areas and the tourism industry.
The minister reiterated the necessity of the Tamnar project, insisting that he had never objected to the project.
“Tamnar is essential to meet the power requirements of the State for the next 20 years,” he said.
He claimed that electricity rates in the State were better as compared to rates in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Delhi.
It may be recalled that a war of words had broken out sometime back between Dhavalikar and former power minister Nilesh Cabral over the maintenance of street lights along the national highways.
A number of accidents in recent days had been attributed to the non-functioning of street lights and dark patches along the highways.
The contention of Dhavalikar was that it was the responsibility of the Public Works Department to maintain electrical fixtures along the highways.
Cabral had however, begged to differ saying when he was incharge of the power portfolio, he had personally taken interest in the maintenance of lights along the highways.
