SHILLONG: While the city is busy celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights, in an irony of sorts, as many as 38 households close to the power generation station in Mawiong-Umiam border are in darkness.
During a visit to Mawiong Rim, Block V on the eve of Diwali, it was revealed that many families are depending on dim solar lights.
During the day, there is sunlight, but when the darkness descends, the scattered households in the village will have no other option than to depend on the
solar lights which are used only inside their homes.
Since there are no streetlights, the surrounding areas plunge into darkness.
The agony is for the students, who have to study in the dim light of the solar lamps which ultimately will damage their eyes, lamented the villagers.
In the absence of electric posts and visible lights outside the households, any visitor to the area will have a tough time at night to negotiate the way.
“There is no electricity connection in this area and though we are close to the power generation unit of the MeECL, we are deprived of power supply by the concerned authorities,” said Monisha Kurbah, a resident.
The villagers had written to the authorities several times, but in vain.
“When the election comes, MLAs, MDCs and different party candidates make many promises, but once the polls are over, they never come back, but our hopes still persist unfulfilled,” an elderly lady said.
