Team Goemkarponn
VAGATOR: Residents of several North Goa villages, including Hanjun, Kaisuv, Vagator, Chapora, Assagao, and Badem, experienced a major power outage early on Friday morning, disrupting Diwali celebrations.
The interruption, which began around 3 am, was due to damage to the 33 kV underground power cables connecting the Hanjun Power Station to the Mapusa substation. The resulting blackout plunged the affected areas into darkness for nearly 18 hours.
According to the Electricity Department, efforts to restore power were immediately set in motion, with alternative arrangements being made to bring relief to residents. However, full restoration was expected to take until around 8 pm, causing considerable inconvenience to residents who were looking forward to Diwali’s Festival of Lights celebrations.
Local leaders, including MLA Delilah Lobo and Anjuna Panchayat Ward Member Sudesh Parsekar, were on-site to oversee the restoration efforts and address the concerns of affected residents.
An experienced team from the Electricity Department, led by Executive Engineer (EE) Ramchandra Mudras, Assistant Engineer (AE) Rama Sawant, and Junior Engineers (JEs) Rohan Naik, Manoj Kothalji, Ashlesh Madkaikar, and Shubham Polekar, conducted an inspection of the site at Bounta Vaddo, Assagao, to assess the extent of the damage and accelerate repair work.
Despite the interruption, department officials worked tirelessly to mitigate the impact by implementing temporary power solutions.
“Our teams are doing everything possible to restore stable power supply swiftly,” stated EE Ramchandra Mudras. The department confirmed that, once repairs are completed, measures will be taken to strengthen the infrastructure to prevent similar issues in the future.
Affected residents voiced frustration over the disruption, particularly as it coincided with Diwali’s Lakshmi Poojan ceremonies.
