JAGATSINGHPUR: Power supply has been disrupted in around 80 villages of Raghunathpur and Biridi blocks as incessant rainfall in the past few days has caused a collapse in the supply infrastructure.
Sources said hundreds of electricity poles that were erected a month back by Central Electricity Supply Utility (CESU) in the aftermath of cyclone Fani have collapsed while newly installed substations have broken down.
It is alleged that sub-standard work undertaken by contractors in connivance with CESU officials led to the situation. Around 6,000 electricity poles and 106 transformers were damaged due to the cyclone in Jagatsinghpur Electricity Division.
Around 32 electricity poles of LT lines and eight 11 KV poles installed along the road from Kantuar to Gadama village were damaged in the rains. Besides, three transformers of Raghunathpur electrical section also sustained considerable damage. It has been three days since power was snapped to the villages in the two blocks.
Sarpanch of Arana panchayat Sudeshna Pattnaik alleged that lack of supervision and sub-standard works resulted in the power outage. She said electricity has not yet been restored to around 12 villages in Arana panchayat.
Sources said, the contractors instead of ensuring quality, stressed on early completion of restoration works after the cyclone. While electricity poles are required to be installed in 5 feet deep pits, the contractors had dug 2-3 feet. Besides, the base of the poles was not made of concrete as is the norm, owing to which they were uprooted due to rains, locals alleged.
Executive Engineer, CESU Jagdish Charan Sahoo said work is on for restoring power in the affected areas. He said the concrete structure will be constructed after the monsoon to ensure that the electricity poles do not suffer damage and also to avert any mishap.