Mokokchung electrical offices locked down for power failure

Mokokchung, August 24: The resentment of the citizens of Mokokchung over the power crisis for more than thirty day plus came with hundreds of youths under the aegis of Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem (MTLT) resorting to the locked down of the three offices of Power Department and submitted a ‘demand charter for power in Mokokchung’ to the state Power Minister here today. The three offices are – Executive Engineer (Electrical Division), Executive Engineer (Transmission Division) and SDO (Electrical Division) located in different parts of the town. The locked down of the divisional offices has paralyzed the normal activities of the office. During the locked down of the offices, no awkward incident or harassment were meted out to the staffs. The executive engineer (Electrical Division) Mokokchung was out of station, reportedly at Dimapur overseeing the restoration of the damaged transformer under repair during the locked down. The SDO (Electrical Division) assured that the department is working desperately to restore regular power supply in the town.After locking down of the offices, the MTLT pasted posters that read ‘The MTLT (Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem) locks down this office until further notice’ and marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office to hand over a charter of demands addressing to the Minister of Power, Government of Nagaland. However, the Mokokchung DC, Sushil Kumar Patel IAS, was out of station; therefore, the youths met the ADC, Bendanglila and handed over the letter to channel to the concern Minister. While accepting the ‘demand charter for power’, ADC Bendanglila stated that the letter would be immediately dispatch to the state government and also discuss the seriousness of the situation with the concerned department and the state government. However, the youths demanded that the ADC should give in writing, to which the ADC provided her assurance in a written document to the officials of MTLT. The youths also reiterated that the locked offices should remain closed until the state government gives a positive response ‘in writing’ to the charter demands aforesaid by the MTLT. Further, the youths also warned that if the offices were opened, then the youths will take rigorous actions; and the consequences thereof will be borne by the district administration, the youths declared. Meanwhile, after meeting the ADC, Mokokchung, the MTLT held a closed door meeting and discussed about the day’s action and future course of action in the event if the state government failed to meet their demands. Several members shared their views and opinions. At the end the youths resolved to take some ‘drastic actions’ in their second phase of agitation which would be more severe.