With people of Ganjam district getting restive over delay in restoration of power supply, the State Government on Thursday asked the Energy Department to ensure supply of electricity to all consumers by end of this month.
While power supply has not been restored to over 69,000 consumers even after 40 days of the cyclone, frequent disruption of power has seriously affected banking business and other public services including drinking water supply.
Energy Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena said power supply has been resumed to 414 out of 475 gram panchayats in 22 blocks and 17 out of 22 towns. Of the total 5.59 lakh consumers in the district, supply has been restored to around 4.90 lakh consumers.
Over 3000 workers are in the restoration job and on an average, power supply is restored to 15,000 to 18,000 consumers daily.
To expedite the execution works, 14 more junior engineers (JEs) have been deployed in the district and 18 more JEs will be deployed soon, Jena said.
According to the daily progress report, all the affected (49) 33 KV feeders covering 458 kms have been restored and out of 169 affected 11 KV feeders, 162 covering more than 3,954 km have been restored.
In the lower tension network, 5,291 km damaged conductors out of 6449.95 kms have been either repaired or replaced.
The Energy Secretary said around one lakh electric poles and 3500 transformers have been replaced in the district.
Sources in Ganjam district administration said the pace of restoration is hampered due to a host of reasons.
At several places, the implementing agencies are facing protest by villagers while erecting electricity poles and substations in paddy fields with standing crops while in some other places villagers are demanding diversion of route.
Inaccessible areas are also posing obstruction for transportation of materials and maintaining safety measures, Southco sources said.