Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 20 June 2024
Living On the Edge (LOTE), an NGO operating in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has raised a significant concern with senior officers of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration regarding the dire situation faced by the Electricity Department staff in Katchal.
LOTE recently posted on X about the unavailability of a vehicle for the Electricity Department in Katchal, forcing staff to transport heavy and long equipment, such as ladders, on motorbikes for maintenance work. This practice poses a severe safety risk and could potentially lead to accidents. Despite these challenges, the staff continue to risk their lives daily to ensure an uninterrupted power supply to the residents of Katchal.
Nicobar Times spoke to Mr. Lawrence, a local resident of Katchal Island, who revealed that the Electricity Department has been operating without a vehicle on the island for over ten years. He mentioned that the department previously had a vehicle, but it went out of service nearly a decade ago.
Mr. Lawrence also highlighted the difficulties the staff face, particularly during the monsoon season and rough weather conditions, in attending to line faults. He praised the dedication of the department’s staff, who strive to maintain power supply despite the challenges posed by the lack of a vehicle.
A & N Administration should immediately deploy a pickup truck or another suitable vehicle capable of carrying heavy loads and long objects, such as ladders for use by Electricity Department at Katchal. It is unacceptable to endanger the lives of employees due to the unavailability of such a basic necessity as a vehicle.