MARGAO
Tempers ran high around Salcete countryside over the frequent power outages in recent days, with agitated consumers right from Chinchinim to the taluka coastal belt threatening to hit to the streets if there is no improvement in the situation.
Salcete coastal belt witnessed an uproar late Friday after villages of Cavelossim and neighbouring areas went without power supply. The police were called at the Carmona sub-station to avert any law and order issue as villagers led by Sarpanch Dixon Vaz questioned officials over the power outage at 9 pm on Friday which was not restored even past midnight.
Citizens from Chinchinim under the banner Chinchinim Citizens Forum on Saturday threatened to shut the National Highway 66 if there’s no stop to the outages and improvement in the supply within eight days.
On Saturday evening, the Salcete coastal belt, home to the tourist hub, saw village sarpanchas coming under one platform to complain against the power outages and the lack of power infrastructure, including manpower at the local power department offices to attend to power issues.
The Sapranchas have threatened to join hands with citizens from Salcete if the situation does not improve immediately.
Cavelossim Sapranch Dixon Vaz informed that the tourist village went without power supply from 9 pm on Friday till 2 am on Saturday. “We had gone to the sub-station to question the officials and they have attributed the problem to batteries burnt at the Cuncolim sub-station. “To replace the batteries, they had to go to Panjim. This is sheer absurdity and shows the non-functioning Power department”, Dixon said.
Members of the Chinchinim Citizens Forum Neves Anthony Rebello, Ajit Kamat and Cyril Leitao slammed the Power department for making the lives of the people miserable over the last few months.
“There’s not a single day without a power outage. The situation has worsened to such an extent that there’s now outage every few minutes”, informed Neves Rebello.
Cyril Leitao wondered why Chinchinim has to bear the brunt of the power outages and demanded action. He served eight days time to the power department to rectify the faults and tone up the infrastructure failing which the citizens will block NH 66.
