MARGAO
Underground power cabling in Navelim constituency, which bore the brunt of the Tauktae cyclone, can become a reality only if Chief Minister Pramod Sawant grants the financial sanction for the Rs 65 crore ambitious project.
This became evident after Power Minister Nilesh Cabral appealed to the Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro as well as the local Sarpanchas to follow it up with the Chief Minister if they want early implementation of the underground cabling project.
For, the Power Minister insisted that he had given the administrative nod for the underground cabling project in Navelim in 2019 and the file is presently stuck up with the Chief Secretary awaiting financial sanction. “I had given the administrative approval for the underground cabling project in 2019 and it has gone to the Finance department for financial sanction. I request the Chief Minister to grant sanction for the project”, he said, while urging the Navelim MLA and the local Sarpanchas to also do the follow up with the Chief Minister.
The Power Minister was in Navelim constituency to inaugurate power transformers costing Rs 55 lakhs, adding he has accorded approval for another four transformers at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. He also announced a new substation in Navelim constituency at a cost of rs 16 crore.
Cabral took the occasion to shower praises on the Navelim MLA for honouring the Power department staff with citations and gifts. “There are people who are in the forefront to criticize the department officials and staff. But, here is a MLA who has honoured the 100-odd officials and staff from Navelim constituency who slogged hard during the cyclone to restore power supply to Navelim”, Cabral said.
In his address, MLA Luizinho Faleiro made a fervent plea to the Power Minister to get the government sanction for the underground cabling project, saying the project is the need of the hour. “I had taken up the project in 2018 and you were kind enough in giving the project the administrative approval”, he said, while thanking the Power Minister for approving hos to power infrastructure works in Navelim constituency.
The Navelim MLA publicly recognized the hard work and sacrifice or more than 100 field employees who worked tirelessly in all the five village panchayats of Navelim, Aquem Baixo, Telaulim, Davorlim and Rumdamol housing board during the Tauktae cyclone that derailed the electric infrastructure.
He presented them with a memento of commendation and a gift comprising of a Prestige mixer and grinder through the hands of the Power Mniister.
A warning to miscreants
MARGAO: Power Minister Nilesh Cabral has issued a stern warning to miscreants not to tamper with electrical and transformer boxes, warning that the department will invoke provisions of the Electricity Act to book them for tampering.
He was replying to a query from the media that boxes of electrical and transformers are more often found open at many places.
Blaming miscreants for tampering with the electrical boxes, Cabral has warned of action under the Electricity Act against such mischief. “I was told that one person recently opened a transformer box and threw out the fuses just because power supply was not restored in his area. This should stop. Tampering with the boxes is an offense and those involved in such mischief will be booked under the Electricity Act”, he warned.
