The electricity department is struggling to make electricity reach 75 villages falling in latehar district and 21 villages in Palamu. And the major obstacle before the electricity department is forest & tiger reserve Palamu.
Out of 75 in latehar district about three dozen villages falling in PTR have put on hook the reaching of electricity lines there said sources.
However, sources said the electricity department and PTR have begun to thrash out an acceptable plan to solve this problem. The acceptable plan is beneficial to both the stake holders said sources.
PTR has demanded that there will be no permission for installation of electricity poles and stretching of over head electricity lines if the electricity wires are not insulated ones in the buffer area of PTR namely labher and Mundoo.
MD of JUVNl Rahul Purwar in his meeting with PTR officials here at Betla on Tuesday has agreed that department would go for insulated over head transmission lines and distribution lines in villages falling in PTR.
PTR has put another demand that electricity poles now made of cement be replaced by iron ones as cemented poles are most fragile before the wrath of elephants. Purwar has shown his acceptability to it.
Further PTR has sought that all installed electricity poles be further strengthened to make it less vulnerable to fall by elephants Purwar has again said okay to it.
Electricity poles are of oblong shape. It provides good pad for elephants to rub their part of body. More rubbing by elephant means more danger of the pole coming on the ground. PTR wanted electricity poles to be of cylindrical shape and this too has been accepted.
DFO Core PTR Anil Kumar Mishra who had attended this meeting of Rahul Purwar in Betla on Tuesday said, “Our demands were legitimate. We were not asking for moon. We were for the safety of wild life. We are happy managing director has agreed to our demands.”
Field director PTR M P Singh said, “It’s good to hear that there would be now insulated electricity wires electricity poles would be further strengthened, iron ones will replace the cemented ones and these issues that we raised were for the safety of wild life.”
Sources said this PTR has a dubious distinction of having three dangerous things like State Highway, Railway lines and electricity lines. What is just left is cell phone towers said a source most satirically.
Sources said Rahul Purwar’s meeting was attended by two DFOs A K Mishra and Mahaling and the two sides PTR and the electricity department talked over the issues with open mind and flexible approach as no two sides were any obstinate at any pint of discussion.
A 33,000 Kv line is to be stretched between Garu and Mahuadarn in PTr. No DFO is any competent to give permission for this . As for 220 Kv line which is for domestic distribution the DFOs are competent.