Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 20 August 2025
The Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Ramnagar (Diglipur Sub-Division) has announced a mass dharna and peaceful road blockade at Kalighat Bazar on 21st August 2025 from 7:00 AM onwards, protesting frequent and prolonged power outages in the area.
In an official letter to the Deputy Commissioner, North & Middle Andaman, the Pradhan of Ramnagar stated that despite repeated complaints and follow-ups, power supply issues persist, causing severe inconvenience to households, students, and businesses.
The protest, supported by local PRIs and residents, demands several remedial measures, including:
• Posting a regular Executive Engineer and Assistant Engineer at Diglipur station for continuous supervision.
• Installation of a transformer to isolate fault-prone areas.
• Appointment of separate Junior Engineers for Kalighat and Kishorinagar offices to improve efficiency.
• Relocation of electricity lines from forest areas to roadsides, particularly from Kalighat to Ramnagar.
• Immediate field inspections by technical teams to identify and fix recurring faults.
• Dedicated staff to monitor and address electricity complaints in Ramnagar regularly.
The pradhan has emphasized that all discussions with the Electricity Department will occur openly at the protest site, citing a loss of public trust following unfulfilled assurances from authorities. In a sharp warning, the letter suggested that if issues remain unresolved, the department should consider selling candles proportionate to monthly electricity bills.
The notice has also been forwarded to key stakeholders, including the Hon’ble MP of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Zilla Parishad members, local Panchayat leaders, and law enforcement, to ensure their support and intervention.
Residents and PRIs have called for urgent action from the Electricity Department to prevent public unrest and ensure a reliable power supply.
