Blame on rough weather for Baghmara outages

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Electricity Corporation Limited (MeECL) has clarified that power supply to Baghmara in South Garo Hills and its adjoining areas in the third week of October was severely affected due to inclement weather.
After it was reported that Baghmara was without electricity for five days, MeECL stated that inclement weather resulted in multiple faults due to uprooting of trees and bamboos, collapsing of poles and punctured insulators due to lightning.
Uprooted trees and bamboos fell on the 33 KV lines at Rangsa-awe and Dangsa-awe areas causing damage to the lines, especially in Siju, Siju Areteka forest and Rangdong.
Besides, poor network connectivity and extensive damages to Karikal Rongdok timber bridge caused further delay in restoring power supply. Though it was restored on October 17, poles collapsed due to a major landslide causing another round of disruption. But the problem was solved thereafter.
On October 20, power supply was again interrupted due to heavy cyclone and lightning causing puncture of insulators at different locations. It was finally restored on October 23.