After heavy rainfall of June 16 and 17 resulted in flash floods and landslides along with road network and communication system, the power supply system also suffered extensive damage. While majority of roads in the district have been opened and communication network restored to most parts, the slow pace of restoration work on power transmission lines has left Kinnaur residents agitated.
A resident of Nesang village and former IAS officer R S Negi said it is pity that Kinnaur district, having major hydro power projects, is not getting electricity. "The state government is exploiting the hydro power potential of Kinnaur the most but is not showing interest in ensuring restoration of power supply to residents at the earliest," he said. In the absence of power supply, residents are finding it hard to complete their chores as neither candles nor kerosene is available to make alternate arrangements. "This is affecting the studies of children as well," he added.
Kinnaur district is part of Mandi parliamentary constituency where a byelection was held on June 27. Before going for polls, despite flood and landslides snapping road, power and communication lines, residents of this tribal district that shares its borders with China, were promised restoration work on war footing.
"But once polls were over, restoration work took back seat. People are without electricity in many villages as restoration work is being carried out at snail's pace. This shows how the government has forgot the miseries of Kinnaur residents after elections got over on June 27," said former Kinnaur MLA Tejwant Singh Negi.
Executive engineer of state electricity board at Reckong Peo, Ajit Negi, said that power supply to most of the villages under Pooh sub-division would be restored by August 15, while for Kunnu-Charang and Asrang areas, restoration of power supply would take time as huge damage to infrastructure has been caused there. Pooh sub-division suffered the maximum damage to power transmission system in the entire district, he said.
"So far we have already laid new main line of 30 km that includes installation of new poles and transformers. The restoration work got delayed as road was blocked since July 25 due to which supply of poles and other material could not reach us," he added.
Deputy speaker Jagat Singh Negi said that all required funds have been allotted to carry out restoration of power supply, but still around two dozen villages of KInnaur district are without power. "Compared to other departments, electricity department is lagging in restoration work," he added.
Source: http://tinyurl.com/n7dxa3g
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