Residents of fourteen villages in Sundargarh district have been living in darkness for last three months. The villagers drew the attention of concerned authorities of Wesco but power restoration to these villages has not yet been done.
According to sources, electricity connection had been provided to a number of villages in Sundargarh district under the Dindayal Upadhaya Gramin Jyoti scheme. Villagers of fourteen villages under Nuagaon block un the district who had got electricity under this scheme, have been living in darkness because the transformers which had been installed in these villages, are defunct.
The villlages under darkness are Fuljhar, Teresa, Mahulachapala, Sanajojata, Karanjia, Taranda, Purunapani, Gopur, Barileputa, Nuagaon, Batakulagaja, Kerketa, Urmei Chuantoli, Katha Karanjia. About 600 consumers of these villages are the victims. The villagers repeatedly have been telling their plight to Wesco officials but restoration of power has not yet been done.
Notably, these villages are near Jharkhand border and PLFI members are active there. Consequently, the villagers are in fear and are not going outside after sunset.
"We had written to Rajgangpur electric division for requirement of transformer against non functioning of transformers in these villages but we have not yet got the replacement," said SDO, Wesco, Kuanrmunda sub division, S Mohanty.
Significantly, crores of rupees were spent for electrification in villages under the Dindayal Upadhaya Gramin Jyoti scheme in Sundargarh district and the transformers had been supplied by Vijay Electrical, Hyderabad.
About 180 transformers which had been installed in different hamlets for power supply are lying defunct.