Rajesh wants underground cabling for vulnerable areas of constituency, better staff strength
PANAJI: Cumbarjua MLA Rajesh Faldesai on Thursday demanded additional manpower for the constituency to attend to faults and other power supply maintenance issues in the constituency pointing out that it was difficult for the department substations to cover a large geographical area with limited staff.
Speaking during the discussion on demands for grants to the power department, Faldesai said that the few staff of the department have to cover a large area as well as maintain lights and fixtures on the many bridges in the constituency, street lights over large stretches that left them overburdened.
“All the work falls on their shoulders. So I ask the minister that the staff be strengthened there so that the burden is lessened on the individual linesmen,” he said.
Faldesai also sought that areas in Carambolim panchayat especially those areas where houses are close to each other be supplied with underground cabling to prevent the issue of repeated power cuts due to falling of trees.
“Here there are big trees that have been there for many years. Even if one branch of these trees falls, then three to four poles collapse at once. I request the minister that he should replace the poles with underground cabling in order that we can get uninterrupted power supply,” he said.
He complained that power supply in the constituency is very erratic and frequently breaks leaving him inundated with calls that the power has failed.
“Even if it comes, it comes for a few minutes and then it goes again and it is hours before it can be restored again,” Faldesai said.
He also raised the issue of the lack of three phase supply to zhor-cator village in Cumbarjua which he said has been without three phase supply since the beginning and left the residents unable to use appliances like ACs etc.
Speaking on the issue of social welfare, the minister pointed out that there were several cases where people whose loved ones succumbed to covid but were yet to receive compensation as well as sought that the amount disbursed under the Dayanand Samajik Suraksha Scheme (DSSS) be hiked.
“They can’t even buy tablets with this money (Rs 2000) that they receive. It is imperative that this amount is hiked by the government,” he said.
Taking up the issue of ramps, Faldesai called for the government to raise the height of the ferry ramps in the island villages of his constituency pointing out that when the tide rises it covers both the road and the ramp making it impossible for people to access the ferry leaving the village cut off from the rest of the state.
He also demanded that the RORO ferries that were being procured by the state — the kind that can carry twenty vehicles or more — be deployed on the routes of Chorao, Divar and other routes that face huge demand during peak times.
Faldesai also called for action on the illegal extension of the dock at Gandaulim, saying that the illegal dock will soon block the entire river if it is not stopped. There are several barges plying on this route which will be inconvenienced due to this illegal activity that is being carried out.
“The passage through the river is very narrow and if it is not stopped, and the work is allowed to continue it will be very difficult for vehicles to cross,” he said.
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