The residents of Sal in Bicholim have expressed their anger over the pathetic electricity facility given to the village and have strongly demanded to complete the work of the sub- station in the village.
It may be stated that there are about 1500 houses in Sal, which are some 10 kms from the main city. The residents here feel that they are neglected as even the basic facility of electricity is not properly provided to them. “ There are several problems of electricity in the village. There are poles in the village but there are no proper street lights. The street light, which is provided to us, is of low focus and in this regard we have already informed the Electricity Department and the MLA but nothing has happened,” said Sal sarpanch, Prakash Raut. The village is famous for the festival of gade which is celebrated in the month of April and in this regard the residents feel that they want proper street lights in the village. “ Gade festival is very famous throughout the state and many people come to this place but it is surprising that the government has not provided us with proper electricity,” Raut stated. Another Sal resident, Soma Raut also complains that the wires which are in the village were not replaced since the time they were installed. “ Our panchayat had passed a resolution that the transformer in Sal should be replaced and its capacity should be increased and we have personally met the electricity engineer but he only gave assurance and did nothing to solve the problem,” Soma complained. The residents now feel that all their electricity problems would only be solved if a sub- station comes up in the village. The department has already acquired land in Sal and also built a compound wall at the proposed site. “ The ministers had given assurances on the floor of the assembly that they would give first preference to Sal substation but we don’t know why this project has been delayed,” Soma disclosed. “ Only after this sub- station our problem of electricity would be solved. This electricity line is more than 50 years old and at several places it has been damaged. The residents claim that during rainy season the electricity line gets tripped several times and they have to spend their nights in darkness. They also claim that even if they complain no one pays heed to it. Bicholim MLA Rajesh Patnekar commented that the Sal sub- station is a long pending demand of the villagers and in 2005 a compound wall was build at the proposed area. He said that the delay was because of the tender process. “ When the tender was released first time on September 20, only one party bid for it. The second time it was bid on October 30 but again a single bidder turned up. On November 14, we had again floated the tender and we had two bidders. If everything works out well then by June the entire work of this sub- station would be complete,” Patnekar explained adding that after the electricity problem of Sal, Latambarcem and surrounding areas would be solved. “ The load of the Bicholim electricity station would be shared and even this sub- station would help the industrial estate coming up at Latambarcem,” Patnekar explained. Government has bought a plot for a sub- station and even built a surrounding wall, but Sal villagers are only given promises. The delay is because of the tender process… when the tender was released first time on September 20, only one party bid for it. The second time it was bid on October 30 but again a single bidder turned up. On November 14, we had again floated the tender and we had two bidders. If everything works out well then by June the entire work of this sub- station would be complete — Rajesh Patnekar, Bicholim MLA SAMir uMArye bicholim There are several problems of electricity in the village. There are poles but there are no proper street lights. The street light, which is provided to us, is of low voltage and in this regard we have already informed the Electricity Department but nothing has happened — Prakash Raut, Sal sarpanch
