SHILLONG: Power Minister James Sangma has said he would discuss about the high electricity tariff in the state with the Meghalaya State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
Replying to a cut motion moved by Congress MLAs Charles Pyngrope and PT Sawkmie, Sangma said the tariff is set by the Commission and the department would take up with it the issue of high electricity bills.
For domestic supply, the tariff for the first 100 units is Rs 3.15, the next 100 units Rs 3.75 and above 200 units is Rs 5.
The new power minister admitted that power supply in rural areas is erratic and this was due to faulty distribution transformers.
Replying to a query in the House, Sangma spoke on the common causes of failure of distribution transformers. “(One reason is) lightning and this is despite installation of lightning arresters (LA). This is because thunder showers and lightning strikes during the pre-monsoon (March to mid June) and the monsoon (mid June to October) seasons are very high in Meghalaya,” he said.
Due to high intensity of lightning, it cannot divert the voltage surge to the earth causing the transformer to fail, the minister explained.
There are other reasons why transformers develop glitches, Sangma informed the house and listed them.
Faults in earthing, short circuits of distribution lines due to weather conditions like strong wind, drawing of power beyond the contract demand and illegal tapping of power causing overloading and pilferage of transformer oil are some of the reasons.
Congress MLA from Nongthymmai Charles Pyngrope said he failed to understand on the perception of pilferage of transformer oil.
“How much oil was stolen?” Pyngrope asked to which James said that he require notice for the question.
Again, Pyngrope asked him on the vulnerable areas of the oil theft, to which James said he would provide information on the question.
Referring to the pilferage of transformer oil, Independent legislator, SK Sunn said that he found that it was a “strange reply” and asked whether the transformer oil get stolen when the power is on or off.
To this query, James replied that no person would steal oil at a time when the transformer is on.
In this connection, Sunn asked whether the linemen or somebody else is to be blamed to which James said collaborated efforts of the Village Energy Committee to ensure that such incidents are reduced.
District wise statistics of failed transformers
Sangma said that there are a total of 316 transformers that are out of order in the state with South West Garo Hills topping the list with 76 numbers of transformers that are out of order.
The numbers of non-functional transformers are East Khasi Hills-70, West Khasi Hills -18, South West Khasi Hills-16, Ri-Bhoi-15, East Jaintia Hills and South Garo Hills-9, West Jaintia Hill-23, East Garo Hills-18, West Garo Hills-52 North Garo Hills-10.
The Minister informed that the failed transformers are being replaced and repaired at government workshops at Sumer, Dakokgre and Mendipathar.
In reply to a query raised by Umroi MLA, George Lyngdoh on the delay in the repair of transformers as only three workshops are on the job, James said that local repair workshops in Shillong and Gauhati is being engaged.
For procuring new transformers, the work is being given to MeECL while to cope up with the shortage of transformers, the government has also sanction Rs 527 lakh (Rs 5.27 crore) for the procurement of 395 distribution transformers.
“Till date, there is 147 distribution transformers while the balance of 248 is yet to be received,” he said adding that they are expected to be received by the end of this month.
Leader of Opposition, Mukul Sangma asked whether access to energy is listed under the Essential Services Act, to which James not reply stating that he require notice.
