TURA: Hundreds of agitated citizens from Dalu surrounded the MeECL sub-station office in the border town on Wednesday night resulting in a minor standoff with authorities over lack of electricity for close to two days.
Citizens of the area had been suffering without electricity at the peak of a hot and humid summer and MeECL officials were unable to give any proper explanation compelling the public to come onto the streets and gherao the power corporation’s office in Barengapara area of Dalu town.
Stones were pelted at the office by some of the agitated members of the public and police had to rush in and pacify the angry mob of around five hundred people who demanded answers for the lack of power.
On Thursday morning, West Garo Hills deputy commissioner Ram Singh along with the Chief Executive Officer of MeECL and other officials rushed to Dalu and held a meeting with the public to ease tensions.
During the deliberations, MeECL officials acknowledged that a technical problem had occurred that prevented proper routing of electricity to many parts of the town. They informed that a special engineer with the expertise to solve the problem was on his way from Shillong and was expected to arrive in Dalu by Thursday night.
Meanwhile, in the face of widespread public anger, power was temporarily restored to most areas of the town.