Nischintakoili: The Odisha government has taken up various projects to supply power to people in rural areas across the state. Similar steps have been taken to provide high quality and uninterrupted power services to people in villages under this block in Cuttack district. However, due to administrative apathy and delay in implementation of projects the people are yet to benefit. The non-functioning of a power grid at Kendilo village under Asureswar panchayat of this sub-division even after its inauguration is a case in point.
According to reports, Energy Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra in the presence of Law Minister Pratap Jena inaugurated a 33/11 KV power grid at Kendilo four months back. The power grid was built at a cost of Rs 5 crore. It was expected to provide optimum voltage and uninterrupted power to over 10,000 people living in 67 villages under 10 panchayats of Nischintakoili sub-division.
However, the grid is still non-functional as some components are missing. Hence residents of these 67 villages are suffering because of frequent disruptions in power supply. Also there is the problem of low voltage and load shedding continues to plague the people in the area.
This has happened as the consultancy agency, which had received the contract for the work, left midway after allegations of providing sub-standard components and other irregularities surfaced. The consultancy firm left the project without connecting the grid to the villages. In fact, the power grid was inaugurated in a hurry with most of its works remaining incomplete.
When contacted, executive engineer Pabitra Kumar Jena of Salipur electricity division said power supply has not resumed from the grid as work on the 11-KV feeder is yet to be completed. On the other hand, work on the 33-KV breaker is yet to start. Residents have demanded completion of the pending work of the project at the earliest and resumption of power supply to the villages. With the scorching summer already on them, the villagers are facing insurmountable problems.