MAPUSA
Power Minister, Sudin Dhavlikar on Tuesday informed the Goa Legislative Assembly that the 63 MVA transformer installed at the Tivim sub-station has helped to mitigate the electricity problem in Bardez and part of Pernem.
Dhavlikar also assured to launch an investigation against the department’s officials for exceeding their brief while laying foundation stone for a transformer and transfer them if found involved.
“The 63 MVA transformer installed at a cost of Rs 42 crore will benefit Mapusa, Calangute, Porvorim, parts of Siolim and a small part in Pernem. The transformer has helped to improve the power situation considerably in Bardez,” Dhavlikar said.
The Power Minister was responding to a query raised by Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo during the Question Hour.
The Siolim MLA said that although underground cabling work has been started in three villages of Siolim-Marna, Anjuna and Assagao, work on similar lines was pending in Verla-Canca, Sodiem and Oxel.
She also raised the issue of shortage of staff in Siolim electricity department and importantly the requirement of bucket crane to replace fused street lights.
Dhavlikar informed that work of conversion of overhead network to underground network was underway in Siolim-Marna at a cost of Rs 16.26 crore.
He said 45 per cent of the work was complete and within four months the entire work will be completed.
Similarly, he said that work on underground cabling in Anjuna has been tendered at Rs 23.66 crore and will be completed in 12 months.
He said similar underground cabling work has been proposed at Sodiem at an estimated cost of Rs 18.41 crore and in Oxel at Rs 12.38 crore which is under scrutiny. Two other works at Assagao at Rs 11.27 crore and Rs 10.82 crore have also been proposed and are under scrutiny.
He also said that the department has tendered the work for replacing streetlights and an agency will be appointed to carry out the work in future.
Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar brought to the attention of the House that some officers of the power department had recently laid foundation stone for a transformer on the birthday of one of the Executive Engineers and questioned the action of the officials.
“Is this allowed in your department? If not, what action do you propose to take on these engineers?” Arolkar asked.
The Power Minister assured to investigate and transfer the officer if he was found involved.
