SHILLONG: Several villages in the international border have remained without electricity for almost a year due to the failure of transformers.
During Question Hour on Thursday, Donkupar Roy (UDP) wanted to know whether MeECL is aware that villages close to the international border including Kalatek ,Dalia and Khahsyndha has remained without electricity for more than a year.
In reply, the Power Minister Clement Marak said in the affirmative, but added that Khahsyndha has been without electricity for about nine months due to transformer failures since May 10, 2015.
As far as the steps taken to restore electricity in the villages, the Power Minister said that due to change in the course of river Umiam Mawphlang in 2010 and the resultant washing away of the distribution transformer and migration of people to a new location, a new 25 KVA transformer along with construction of 0.29 km of new 11KV line and other related works was taken up under RGGVY during 2011 at new Kalatek at the cost of Rs 10.36 lakh.
The Power Minster said that in order to provide power to the remaining inhabitants in the old village, a proposal for construction of 1.9 km of new 11 KV line,1.5 km of LT line and one new 63 KVA transformer at an estimated cost totaling Rs 25.18 lakh have been included in the DPR and submitted to ministry of power in September 2015. He also said that the transformer will be repaired at Dalia and Khahsyndha. The Minister, however, said that payment of outstanding dues is the need of the hour.
Bill regular, yet light irregular
Raising a supplementary question, Witting Mawsor(HSPDP) in a lighter vain said that while the “Bills to be paid are regular, light is irregular in rural areas of the state.
Earlier, Roy pointed out that all the villages should not be penalized for the pending dues as there are many villagers who pay the dues, yet do not get electricity.
Embhahlang Syiemlieh (UDP) said that many rural areas including some in Mawlai suffer from darkness as light is irregular though the villagers pay the electricity bills regularly.
In a supplementary question, Saleng Sangma(Independent) said that in some areas under his constituency, electricity bills were given to villages which were not connected with electricity.
