SHILLONG: Residents of Bangalkata village in Phulbari constituency, West Garo Hills, under the jurisdiction of Power Minister Abu Taher Mondal, are grappling with a severe electricity crisis.
For the past 13 days, the village has been plunged into darkness due to an ongoing power outage, leaving its inhabitants in distress.
Tauqer Hassan, a resident of Bangalkata, expressed deep concern over the prolonged electricity shortfall.
“For the past two weeks, our village has been without power, severely disrupting our daily lives,” he told a Shillong-based daily.
Despite repeated appeals to local authorities, Hassan noted, no effective measures have been taken to address the issue, exacerbating the difficulties faced by the community.
The outage has had a profound impact on various facets of village life, including education, healthcare, and agriculture.
Hassan lamented that the current period aligns with half-yearly examinations in schools, noting that students are facing difficulties studying without adequate lighting.
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He stressed that the absence of electricity is hindering their preparation, which could affect their academic performance adversely.
The absence of power has also paralysed essential services, such as the local health centre, which is unable to operate effectively, putting villagers’ health and well-being at risk.
Farmers, too, are grappling with the consequences as they struggle to irrigate their fields, raising concerns of crop failure and financial losses.
Moreover, the outage has disrupted basic daily activities like food preservation and communication, significantly diminishing the overall quality of life in Bangalkata.
Earlier on June 25, Minister Mondal had pledged to electrify all villages in the state by 2028, underscoring his commitment during a press briefing following discussions with a delegation led by Congress legislator Charles Marngar from Mawhati.
“We are on the job and we will try to see that all these un-electrified villages will be brought under electrification,” Mondal told the press.
Mondal’s assurance came amid mounting concerns over irregular power supply and the lack of electrification in several villages within Marngar’s constituency.
Local residents await swift action from authorities to restore electricity to Bangalkata and alleviate the hardships endured during this prolonged outage.
