Morung Express News
Kohima | April 20
Several challenges and grievances within the Power department were highlighted today during the department officers’ meeting cum felicitation program of Advisor Tovihoto Ayemi.
However, the attention of the meeting was particularly drawn towards the plight of Electricity field workers.
“Whether it’s raining or sunny, the Electricity field workers are always on duty 24/7. Our work is more intense on holidays. When government employees are enjoying the red marked dates in the calendar, the field staff’s fears increases during these important holidays wondering if the electricity will break down,” stated Ayeto Sumi, president of the All Nagaland Electricity Field Workers Association (ANEFWA).
He highlighted the plight of electricians and other field workers in Nagaland, where the workers are manning with shortage of manpower, limited resources/materials and constant criticisms from the public as well as government.
“Power department will continue to be an expanding department. Every single day, there is always a new connection to be made. It is expanding but we are still managing with the same manpower as in the past. At any hour, we are at the service of the public. The department cannot move forward without the electricity field workers,” the ANEFWA president asserted.
While improvements and lines are required in all areas, Ayeto noted that Kohima and especially Dimapur are the areas that need to be focused. “We require lines in all areas but the way the Dimapur and Kohima public are suffering is not quite present in other areas,” he added.
Narrating the experiences of the field workers in the State, Ayeto stated that the job of the field workers is a thankless job where they are more criticised and sometimes even assaulted for the breakdown of power.
“Whether it is load shedding, fusing of transformer or destruction of lines by winds and storms, the field staffs get the blame, as if we were responsible for the natural calamities,” lamented Ayeto, who appealed to the government for increase in resources and manpower, up-gradation of transformers as the old power installments set up are over 50 years old.
Further stress was laid on the recruitment of manpower. “We are not demanding for salary hike or rewards, but we urge the government to recruit more field workers.”
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