Kohima Village Youth Organisation (KVYO) has urged the government to either install the proposed additional 24MVA transformer at Kohima power station immediately or to stop diverting power to other districts.
A press release from KVYO president Medozhatuo Rutsa and general secretary Ruokuoneitso Kire said that the KVYO’s attention was drawn to the recent press release of the “Association of Power Engineers of Nagaland” (APEN), wherein the case of only one 24 MVA substation serving Kohima possibly failing, due to overloading, this winter season, was highlighted.
KVYO said its members visited the electrical department on the same day to appraise itself on the “dismal scenario”. During the interaction, they learnt that the only 24MVA, installed in the year 2000, in Kohima, was serving the whole district 24X7 for 17 years and was very likely to fail soon if its capacity was over-stretched, as was being done now.
The release also said they learnt that the power department had been only outputting 19MVA for safety against the actual requirement of 32MVA, besides enforcing a 2 hour load-shedding schedule at Kohima due to the festivities and winter.
KVYO expressed surprise that the government had diverted 5MVA to Peren and Medziphema against advice, while Kohima itself did not have the required output. It said that if the lone sub-station should experience a breakdown, without a substitute transformer, as was the case now, “Kohima will be plunged into, not just total but, prolonged darkness”.
KVYO also noted that the Kohima urban, semi-urban and its villages stand at the top of the departmental books for prompt payment of electricity bills, and thus they will have to, despite all unwillingness, ensure Kohima is not deprived of their due at the expense of any other division.
It urged the government to either install the additional 24MVA, kept on hold for 3 years, immediately or listen to the engineers and stop diverting power from Kohima.
KVYO said that it was their humble and sincere request to all colony authorities under Kohima municipal as well as non-municipal areas, to not only use electricity judiciously but join them in checking illegal power tapping, as they had been doing for a long time.
They said that the government’s refusal to listen to technicians and experts in the power department could land Kohima in total darkness this festive and winter season.
Calling attention to the continuous cycle of infrastructure falling apart in Nagaland, the release further stated that, “it will be most prudent for all of us to act responsibly and avoid suffering for irresponsibility of powers that be and other less responsible consumers.”
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