Dimapur, August 7 (MExN): Power engineers of Nagaland are unhappy that the Power department’s office in Mon was ransacked and burned as well as had its officers and staff harassed on July 22 by a mob for a reason that was not human but only technical.
The Association of Power Engineers of Nagaland today denounced the action of the mob for their harassing and intimidating officers and staffers of the Power office for no fault of theirs; the engineers also denounced the act of destroying and burning the power department’s office in Mon.
Earlier, on the second day of the second general conference of the Eastern Naga Students’ Federation, volunteers of the Konyak Students’ Union reportedly ransacked offices of the Executive Engineer and SDO (Electrical) for alleged lack of power supply since the conference commenced on July 20.
The engineers’ association in its statement today listed out the facts in connection with the power failure and the subsequent action taken by the department on the matter. The engineers explained to all in concern that power failure can happen either due to breakdown in the transmission and sub-transmission lines or breakdown of transformers and other related equipments’ technical failure.
Power supply to Mon district was affected owing to a technical snag in the 66kv transmission line from Tuli to Naginimora on the morning of July 20, the engineers informed. The break led to total disruption of power supply to the district. Officers and the technical staffers of the transmission division stationed at Mokokchung immediately undertook checking and verification of the lines to restore the said transmission line, the engineers clarified.
Here the engineers explained that the particular transmission line inspection required tower-by-tower inspection between Mokokchung and Naginimora located in inaccessible areas. “Unlike other natural calamities like landslides etc., the nature of damage in transmission lines are not easily visible,” the engineers informed.
“After intensive search for two days, the fault could be located and rectified only on the evening of 22nd July, 2009, near Anaki village. The insulators in one of the towers (in a remote jungle location) were found punctured most probably due to lighting strike. The damaged insulators could be replaced and the power supply was restored,” the engineers stated.
The power engineers assured all in concern that they have been working against all odds and will continue to work for the welfare and benefit of the people of the state with utmost sincerity and dedication. However, the engineers reminded that technical snags do occur due to various factors and it is to be appreciated at these times that it takes considerable effort and time to detect and correct technical faults and breakdowns. The period or rectification could range anywhere from hours to even days depending on the location and magnitude of damage.
The engineers said that the transmission line of Mokokchung to Mon is the only source of power supply to the district. It was unfortunate that the fault occurred and disrupted power supply at a time when the ENSF was holding its conference at Mon. For this the engineers expressed regrets. However, the engineers reminded that the fault in this particular instance occurred beyond the control of the engineers and staff of the department and not as alleged. The engineers have expressed utter condemnation for the action of the mob in ransacking and burning the office as well as for harassing and intimidating the officers and staff for no fault of theirs.
