Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) Limited is all set to tackle rain-related emergencies and carry out immediate repair of poles and transformers in order to ensure supply of electricity to its consumers in four districts— Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga, coming under its jurisdiction.
Mescom Technical Director Raghu Prakash, responding to grievances at the phone-in programme organised by Prajavani at DH-PV Editorial Office in Balmatta on Friday, said that all the required materials, including electricity poles and transformers had been readied.
The gangmen have been put on alert to immediately tend to the complaints during monsoon. All the Mescom sections under subdivision have been provided with minimum of 10 linemen in order to attend to the emergencies, he added.
15,000 poles
“About 15,000 electricity poles and required wires are stocked in godowns. The Mescom has nine transformer repair centres, which can repair 150 transformers in a month. There are 70,200 transformers in the Mescom jurisdiction. About 1,000 to 1,200 transformers get damaged annually,” he added.
When residents from Sullia and Belthangady complained about low voltage, Raghu Prakash said there was power supply issues in Sullia and Puttur areas, owing to the shortfall in source.
The work on KPTCL’s 110kv substation at Madavu had been taken up. Once the substation is charged, then the Mescom can connect it to its 33 kv lines to supply power to the consumers.Once all the hurdles related to Madavu substation is cleared, then it will be charged within three to four months, he explained.
Chandrashekar, president of Raitha Sangha in Sringeri, complained about the company’s failure to register IP sets and chop the branches of trees close to the electricity poles.
Niranthara Jyothi
To a query on Niranthara Jyothi by a resident from Kadur, Raghu Prakash said the proposal includes bifurcation of agriculture and non-agriculture loads from the existing 11kv feeder lines with an aim to supply 24-hour power supply for domestic consumption. The works under Niranthara Jyothi were taken up in Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts (barring seven taluks of Malnad areas including N R Pura, Koppa, Sringeri, Theerthahalli and Hosanagara) and will be completed by December end.
When Kumaraswamy from Birur complained on frequent transformer power outages, technical director said that several areas, including Birur and Kadur, had highest density if illegal IP sets, which damages the transformers frequently.
Sridhar Shetty from Hebri said that pumpsets drawing water from streams run for 24 hours without any break. The express line work from Pethri-Hebri-Muniyala was stopped following objections from the forest department.
Mariamma from Jattiappalla in Sullia complained about an increase in electricity bill after the existing meter was replaced with a new one. Surendra from Anagalli in Kundapura said their plea for an additional transformer, submitted three years ago, had not been heard so far.
Sathish from Herooru in Koppa complained on power lines hanging over 200 houses. Despite many pleas, no measures were taken to shift the lines, he added.
Raghava Poojary from Mala in Karkala too complained on dangling power lines near the houses in the village.
Raviraj Shetty from Karje in Brahmavar said that the village was suffering from low voltage for past three years. Though an estimate for installing additional transformers was submitted, no action has been taken so far, he said.
To which, Chief Engineer Manjappa promised to look into the file related to transformers and get it sanctioned.
Sudhakar from Koppa alleged that borewell sunk for drinking water supply had not been provided with power connections for the past two-and-a-half-months.
Superintendending Engineer (Technical) Sharanappa, CA (Finance) Vighneshwara Udupa, Superindent Engineer (Squad) P D B Rao, Executive Engineer (Mangaluru division) Krishnaraj K, PRO Vasanth Shetty, AEE (IT) Lohith, Deputy CA (finance) Harishchandra and Auditor Pius D’Souza were present.