Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 20 July 2022
The residents living in Port Blair and its suburbs are becoming increasingly frustrated because frequent power cuts has been haunting them for months altogether. Citizens complained that the power supply in almost all areas of the main Island of South Andaman District is unstable and every day they have to face frequent power cuts.
Long Power Cuts have also been reported recently from different wards of Port Blair Municipal Council.
Many residents have time and again expressed their anguish that the elected representatives and political leaders are not speaking up against the problems being faced by the general public due to frequent power cuts.
Nicobar Times spoke to a senior official of the Electricity Department and several political leaders regarding the issue of power cuts in South Andaman District.
When we dialled up the landline of a Senior Official of the Electricity Department, he informed on the condition of anonymity, that the recent long power cut during the evening hours in some wards of PBMC was due to a puncture in 11 KV Cable. He added that it takes hours to identify and rectify punctures in HT UG Cables.
When we confronted him that the puncture seems to be a one-off incident but power cut is frequent all over South Andaman District, he informed that there are several issues at play, sometimes it’s the weather, sometimes due to fluctuation in power from the solar power plant, sometimes due to line fault etc.
Nicobar Times also asked the officer if there is an Electricity Production Issue. The official informed that indeed there is a production issue and the administration is trying its best to align production with the demand for electricity in the district. He informed that the administration has requested the Ministry of Power, Govt. of India to help out in setting up some power plants and the Ministry of Power has asked National Thermal Power Corporation to work something out for Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Further, he informed that the contract for a 15 MW power plant had expired and in lieu of that another 15 MW power plant is being set up.
We also asked the official about the 4.016 billion Yen Grant Aid to Andaman and Nicobar Islands by Japan for improvement in power supply. The official informed that a 15 MWh battery bank for the solar power plant will be set up through aid from Japan, but it will take years before it starts functioning.
Nicobar Times contacted Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Member of Parliament, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. Ajoy Bairagi, State President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Mr. Rangalal Halder, President, Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee to take their views on the frequent power cuts.
Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma informed us that at present he is in Delhi as the Parliament is in session. He added that he has taken up the issue of power cuts with the Administration twice in the past. He said he will again take up the issue with the Administration and will try to get it solved.
Mr. Ajoy Bairagi informed that he is aware of the issue and he has planned to meet the Chief Secretary immediately regarding the frequent and long power cuts in South Andaman. He added, that he will demand that the issue of frequent power cuts should be solved immediately.
Mr. Rangalal Halder said the issue of power cuts will not get solved until the Administration is under the current Modi Government. He questioned whether the situation of power was so bad during the UPA regime. Mr. Halder further added, that ANTCC had taken up the issue of power cuts with the authorities multiple times in the past and had also organised protests. He said that the issue will be taken up again and more protests will be organised. He further mentioned, ‘that people have to understand what Modi Govt. is doing, most of the department is privatised now’.