Parts of Meghalaya without power for 4 days, MeECL CMD says restoration still a challenge

While the staff and linemen of MeECL are reaching out to the difficult terrains, full restoration of electricity in the state continues to be a challenge.

Braving heavy rain, high velocity wind and overall inclement weather, Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) linemen and staff are working round the clock to restore power supply to several parts of Meghalaya that has been in the dark for four days now because of the impact of Cyclone Remal that made landfall along the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh.

CMD MeECL Sanjay Goyal said that with the state experiencing high velocity winds, uprooted trees have fallen on electric lines at many places, and electric polls are also uprooted. While the staff and linemen of MeECL are reaching out to the difficult terrains, full restoration of electricity in the state continues to be a challenge.

Speaking exclusively to Northeast Live, Sanjay Goyal said, “Almost cyclonic kind of weather is there in the Jaintia Hills district and here in Shillong too we are experiencing high velocity winds. That has impacted the power supply, no doubt mainly because of the felling of trees over power supply lines and poles. So we are working 24X7 almost except for the night period wherein it is not safe for our staff to work. Because even if we restore the line, it is not advisable to charge the line during night time because we follow a certain procedure to the hold the line and charge it.”

Goyal added, electricity has been restored in many parts except for a few pockets in Tura town where restoration work is underway.
“Major parts of the town areas have been restored, except for a few pockets in Tura town, where the team has been working,” Goyal added.

However, high velocity of wind often snaps the power supply.

“I hope the weather opens up so that the restoration work is not hampered because of the inclement weather. We hope that we be able to restore it at the earliest. Shillong city almost has been restored, except one or two locations where heavy trees have fallen. We are on the job, that’s what I can say,” the MeECL CMD further said.

When his response was sought on the alleged delay in restoration of power supply, MeECL CMD Sanjay Goyal said, “Delay is because when it is raining heavily and the winds are strong. We have to keep in mind the safety of our staff and linemen who are working. Apart from that there is no delay.”

Stating that as per the reports of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclone Remal has already crossed the state of Meghalaya, Goyal said the present weather may be just the last remnants of it.

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