NONGSTOIN/MAWKYRWAT/TURA, April 4: As citizens are wary of the ‘dark days’ starting April 14, there has been clamour over the power supply scenario in Meghalaya with residents of a village in Nongstoin questioning “power failure”, besides several villages in South Garo Hills being deprived of electricity for over two years due to MeECL’s alleged negligence and a local body expressing concern over two electricity posts collapsing in separate villages of South West Khasi Hills.
Citizens from select parts of the three districts — West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills — have bombarded the corporation alleging irresponsibility and negligence.
Residents of Upper New Nongstoin have posed a question to the MeECL: “How long do you think a power failure can continue?”
Upper New Nongstoin, despite being located in the heart of Nongstoin town in West Khasi Hills, endures load-shedding of more than three hours a day, even as locals claim that it is done without issuance of any proper notification.
Residents say it has been more than a year that a certain “power failure” continues in Upper New Nongstoin. “The current is cut more than 5 to 6 times a day,” says one of the residents.
“It’s really surprising that a village in a town area is not provided electricity properly despite having a transformer. Surprisingly, electricity in New Nongstoin, which is opposite the said village, is never cut and there is no power failure as such,” N Nongsiej, a resident of Upper New Nongstoin, told The Shillong Times.
“Whenever I have contacted the officials at the MeECL, I am always told, ‘Yes, I am aware that the village has got electricity failure but we are in process of repairing’. But for a year now, it has remained the same,” he said.
“The MeECL officials are just not serious about sorting out the matter. Had they been committed towards their work, the problem we have been facing for the past year would have been sorted out,” Nongsiej asserted, while pointing out that they spend more than Rs 800 a month against electricity bills and on buying candles, which is burdensome for the poor people.
One of the parents of a schoolchild expressed strong concerns over the fact that students, particularly those preparing for board exams, in the village study for hours without electricity, while adding that they are not prepared for the tests.
“We don’t know who else to approach as we only face brick walls everywhere. We don’t understand as to why these people at the MeECL are still getting their salary when they can’t even provide basic service”, rued another resident. (Contd on P-4)
MeECL under fire…
(Contd from P-3) Some even complain about load-shedding despite the regulation was withdrawn some time earlier.
Electric posts collapse
Two old electric posts — one at Mawbidong and another at Pyndenlyngdoh villages of South West Khasi Hills — have collapsed after rainfall and strong winds on Sunday.
Coming down heavily on the MeECL over the incident, the Seng Samla Shnong Mawbidong alleged that the two incidents are the result of the irresponsibility of the concerned office, adding that since 1987-88, when the then MeSEB installed the posts and lines for connectivity, there was been no repair or replacement of the old electric posts till date.
The local body also informed that the two incidents occurred in the morning of April 2 while adding that no one was injured, albeit in Mawbidong, the lines fell on the roof tops of some houses but the electricity had already been cut off before the collapse.
The Seng Samla Shnong Mawbidong has requested the MeECL to repair and replace the old electric posts at the earliest for the safety of the public.
No power for two years
Meanwhile in South Garo Hills, the alleged failure of the concerned department to restore a non-functional power line which had already been set up has led to several villages in the district to remain in darkness for over two years now.
According to the United A’chik Youth Front, several remote villages under the district — Kalu Songmong, Rongcheng and other neighbouring villages — have been remaining in total darkness for more than two years after the 11 KV power line drawn from the Nongal Bibra Sub-station via West Khasi Hills developed a fault at Rongru under West Khasi Hills which is yet to be restored.
“We have come to know from village elders that the matter was brought to the notice of the concerned authority including the SDO office at Nongalbibra Sub-station many times. However, their request for restoration of the 11 KV power line has so far been ignored by the department,” Harmish G Marak, a member of the organisation, claimed.
The youth body also requested the concerned authority to look into the matter and restore the damaged power line as early as possible so that the much-needed power supply returns to the affected villages.