From Our Correspondent
TURA: Another examination, another power cut! The Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) has done it once again. Power supply in the entire garo Hills regions was disrupted once again since at around 6 PM on Tuesday.
Frustrated over the frequent disruption of power supply to Garo Hills angry locals went on the rampage in Williamnagar town attacking the control room of the MeECL office on Tuesday night breaking chairs and tables.
The mob criticised the Power Minister and the government for its failure to prevent another disruption but did not harm the MeECL staff on duty at the control room.
Police were rushed to the scene after the incident and security has been beefed up at all MeECL offices and power stations in the Garo Hills including its main centre in Tura Hawakhana where armed security personnel have been stationed.
With a crucial examination scheduled on Wednesday morning, students are left groping in the dark with no alternative since Tuesday night, less than a week after a similar shutdown crippled life in the entire Garo Hills last Thursday and Friday.
What has triggered this latest disaster remains unknown but MeECL officials state that the Nangalbibra line supplying power to Garo Hills has been declared faulty 17 kms from the power station towards Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills.
They add that restoring the Garo Hills line is not a possibility until and unless the fault is located. The transmission lines pass through some of the most inhospitable terrain and no effort has been made to bring about changes despite frequent power cuts all these years.
It can be recalled that way back in 1995 and 1996 a similar situation arose in the Garo Hills when power was disrupted for several days and nights.
It was only after a new Chairman of then MeSEB, VS Jaffa, took charge that the situation brightened. To prevent a repeat of the long duration power cuts, Jaffa issued a standing order directing the entire technical staff of MeSEB to undertake a massive overhauling of the transmission lines between Nangalbibra and Nongstoin.
The technical teams climbed hills and crossed rivers to check the high powered transmission lines undertaking jumpering and maintenance wherever there were faults and possible defects.
The end result was a ten year disturbance free power supply for Garo Hills.
The present scenario appears to be different as sources from MeECL reveal that technical teams are dispatched to the field only when a fault occurs.
