Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 28 April 2025
Residents of Laxmi Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, and Shastri Nagar in Great Nicobar are grappling with severe hardships after enduring nearly four days of near-complete power blackout. The remote villages, already plagued by frequent power cuts for over a year, have now seen the situation worsen, prompting villagers to launch protests demanding urgent action.
The Electricity Department had earlier attributed the chronic power issues to ageing Aerial Bunched Cables (ABC). In a bid to rectify the situation, new cables were recently installed, replacing approximately 2.5 kilometres of the old network. However, the new infrastructure has reportedly developed faults shortly after installation, plunging the villages into darkness and exacerbating the residents’ difficulties.
In protest, villagers have blocked the SH-2 at Gandhi Nagar and prevented the STS bus from returning to Campbell Bay. They are demanding the immediate installation of a generator to restore electricity to Laxmi Nagar, Gandhi Nagar, and Shastri Nagar. The protesters have declared that their agitation will continue until a generator is deployed.
Historically, when the villages were not yet connected to the Campbell Bay Power House, the Electricity Department had installed a small generator at Gandhi Nagar to supply power to the residents for a few hours everyday. Even after the establishment of the direct power line, the generator remained for some time but was eventually removed a few years ago. Residents had opposed its removal, arguing that it should remain as a backup to serve during breakdowns — common in the region due to dense forest terrain and frequent tree falls along the North-South Road.
According to villagers, electricity supply has been severely erratic since 18th April 2025, with the situation deteriorating drastically over the last four days. The ongoing blackout has not only disrupted daily life but also hampered mobile network connectivity, further isolating the remote communities.
Residents have made it clear that they will continue their protest until their demand for a generator is fulfilled.