Power dept suffers loss of 8.60L

MARGAO: The electricity department has suffered a loss of 8,60,000 as the underground power cables were damaged at two places within a span of eight days in Malbhat, Margao, allegedly by the Goa Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation workers, who were laying their new pipeline.
As a result power consumers in Malbhat area, which also includes the residence of chief minister Digambar Kamat, had to go without power for some time.
The first incident occurred on October 21 wherein the underground low-tension cable was punctured at Malbhat. It took three days for the electricity department to repair the punctured cable and restore the power supply.
In the second incident on Friday morning, a 11 KV high tension line supplying power to various transformers from Monte Hill substation was punctured. The power department staff had to struggle till 2am on Saturday to lay a temporary overhead cable and restore the power to the affected areas. Assistant executive engineer Sunil Wadeker said, "It will take at least two days to replace the punctured high tension line."
"In the first incident, which occurred on October 21, power department suffered a loss of 60,000 while the in today's case the department has incurred a loss of 8 lakh," said Wadeker.
"When the first incident of cable puncture had occurred in Malbhat we had informed the sewage corporation. But I don't think any care was taken. We are working day and night to replace the line. At present we have laid an overhead cable for some transformers while at some places we have diverted on other circuits," informed Wadeker who was at the site with the staff. Chairman of Goa Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ghanashyam Shirodker said, "We work as per the gradient. Electricity department did not provide the map, which we had asked for. Now I have instructed the contractor that the electricity department officials should be called before starting work. Earlier, the electricity department instructed us to inform whenever the work is carried out near the transformers. We will take care in future to avoid such incidents."
"Whatever expenses incurred in repairing and restoring of power will also be borne by the corporation," said Shirodker replying to a query on loss incurred by the power department.