Power disruption in three Arunachal districts; Covid-19 centres facing problems

Itanagar, July 9 (PTI): A fault in a key transmission line has disrupted power supply in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh since Sunday afternoon, posing a serious challenge for the authorities to manage Covid-19 care centres, a minister has said.

The Khatalguri-Deomali 220-kilovolt line tripped due to a technical snag at 4.32 pm on Sunday, disrupting power supply in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts, Public Health Engineering & Water Supply Minister Wangki Lowang said.

“No alternative arrangements are available to supply power to these three districts,” he said on Wednesday.

Lowang said that the executive engineer concerned has given assurance that the power supply would be restored within two to three days.

“I have apprised Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, who is also the power minister, of the critical situation and urged him to take urgent steps for restoration of electricity supply to end sufferings of the people,” Lowang said.

Power problem has affected functioning of the Covidfacilities in these districts, the minister said.

The hospitals have generators but there is lack of manpower in these facilities to operate them, official sources said.

The local administrations have arranged for tankers to supply water to the hospitals but the quantity is not adequate, they said.

Local people are collecting water from streams and waterfalls for household use. Meanwhile, power transmission Division-III executive engineer in a statement said that the electricity supply to the three eastern districts would be affected till restoration of the Kathalguri-Deomali 220 KV line.