Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 07 August 2025
The CPI(M) Port Blair City Area Committee organized a mass demonstration this evening in front of the office of the Superintending Engineer, Electricity Department at Phoenix Bay, protesting against frequent and prolonged power cuts affecting Port Blair and nearby rural areas of South Andaman.
A large number of party workers, sympathizers, and members of the general public participated in the protest, voicing their discontent over the deteriorating power supply situation in the region.
Inaugurating the demonstration, D. Ayyappan, Secretary of the CPI(M) Andaman and Nicobar State Organising Committee, blamed the ongoing power crisis on the “unfavourable and wrong policies” of the Modi-led central government. He stated that the 11 years of BJP rule at the Centre had led to the “total collapse of the power sector” in the islands. Ayyappan particularly highlighted the severe impact of unscheduled power disruptions on students, women, senior citizens, and those with health issues.
Referring to a recent meeting with the Union Power Minister, which he attended along with CPI(M) MP R. Sachithanantham from Tamil Nadu, Ayyappan said they had urged the Minister to provide additional diesel generator sets to temporarily address the crisis until larger projects like the LNG-based power plant become operational. However, the Union Minister reportedly rejected the proposal, citing high costs associated with diesel power generation.
CPI(M) State Secretariat Member D. Laxman Rao announced that the party will hold a Candlelight Procession on 9th August 2025 at 5:30 PM, starting from the Gandhi Statue at Mohanpura, to further draw attention to the public’s hardships caused by the persistent power cuts.
Addressing the gathering, State Secretariat Member B. Chandrachoodan criticized the current Member of Parliament for failing to address the pressing issues faced by islanders. P. Sathyapal, Secretary of the CPI(M) Port Blair City Area Committee, along with SP Kalairajan, led the demonstration and called out what he termed as “hollow promises” made by the BJP government over the past eleven years.
