Tura, June 16: The town of Phulbari located in West Garo Hills has been struggling under a severe power crisis for the past three days with the lack of power adversely affecting the daily routine of the citizens, especially the school-going children.
As per residents’ claims, FEDCO, a private company responsible for maintaining the power supply in Phulbari, has not provided any customer care services during this crisis. Despite the extreme heat of the summer, the authorities have not been able to resolve the issue, leaving the citizens to bear the brunt of this negligence, they added.
According to social activists from the region, Peter A Sangma and Samgar R Sangma, such power outages are a routine occurrence in Phulbari and even mild winds and storms can disrupt the power supply as a result of negligence by the concerned authorities.
“The women, infants, children, and the elderly are among the worst affected by this crisis. It is essential for the authorities to take immediate action to resolve the issue and ensure that such a situation doesn’t occur again. It is unacceptable for citizens to suffer due to the negligence of those responsible for providing basic amenities like power supply,” Samgar said.
Samgar also questioned the role of local MLA and Power Minister, A T Mondal at the time of the power crisis.
“It would indeed be helpful if Shri. AT Mondal, the local MLA, could take action in this matter to address the chronic power supply issues that affect the people of Phulbari. As a representative of the citizens, it is his responsibility to ensure that the basic needs of the people are met and that they have access to essential services like electricity,” he said.
Samgar said that It would only be proper for the MLA to initiate an inquiry into the reasons for the power crisis and take effective measures to resolve the issue. He suggested that the MLA hold a meeting with concerned authorities and seek their explanation for the inadequate power supply in Phulbari.
On the role played by FEDCO, Samgar said that as a private company responsible for maintaining the power supply in Phulbari, it has a duty to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the region. He added that it was important to acknowledge that efficient maintenance and management are top priorities for the company.
“FEDCO, being responsible for collecting bills from the citizens of Phulbari, must be held accountable for providing them with round-the-clock electricity. The citizens have been repeatedly facing power outages, which have an adverse impact on their daily lives and activities,” he said.
Pointing out that it was necessary for FEDCO to address the underlying issues that are causing these power outages and take effective measures to resolve them, Samgar suggested that the company establish a robust customer care service to handle complaints and provide timely assistance to citizens experiencing power related issues.