PANAJI
Criticising his own government Ports Minister Michael Lobo said that there is no well-equipped disaster management facility in the state which can handle even a smaller calamity than the cyclone which has created major destruction in the state.
"There is no disaster management team in place to take care of even a smaller disaster than the disaster which has occurred now," said Lobo adding a demand that the Chief Minister should immediately put in a good well-equipped disaster management team to tackle such a situation in the upcoming monsoon season.
Michael criticised the electricity minister (without directly naming him) for his claim that 90 per cent of connectivity to houses has been restored.
"I have seen somebody claiming that 85-90 per cent of the people are connected by today (Thursday). But the ground situation is that 50 per cent of houses from the Candolim and Calangute area are still in darkness," said Lobo.
"Our junior engineers are working hard but don't have the manpower required to give connection to so many houses," added Lobo.
"Electricity linemen are working with the help of locals. There is no contractor for pole replacement nor wires," he said.
Lobo complained that other than regular electricity personnel, no additional working force has been provided by the government.
Lobo said that a lot of damage has been caused to houses, boats to the traditional fishermen. In Calangute itself, more than 150 electricity poles have been damaged. In Candolim 100 poles have been damaged. In Calangute more than fifty per cent of houses are still in darkness.
We are trying to manage to give single-phase connections to the people. We need additional manpower, Lobo lamented.
