Cyclone Remal plunged Tripura into darkness, and even after 48 hours, the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) and concerned agencies struggled to restore power.
This failure sparked widespread protests and road blockades across the state, including Agartala. Opposition parties capitalized on the public frustration, joining the protests.
Despite TSECL’s claims of pre-cyclone preparedness and assurances from Minister Ratan Lal Nath, residents, government offices, private institutions, and financial establishments remained without electricity. This lack of power created a severe drinking water crisis, further enraging citizens.
Residents blamed the authorities for incompetence and inefficient management. While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecasted Cyclone Remal and its potential damage, concerned agencies failed to adequately prepare for the storm or its aftermath.
In response, the Power Minister held a video conference on Wednesday with TSECL’s Additional and Deputy Managers. He emphasized expediting restoration efforts and suggested deploying additional manpower if necessary.
Lawyers protests :
In Agartala, lawyers from the District and Sessions Judge Court, West Tripura, Agartala, along with staff from various other departments, staged a road blockade in the Fire Brigade Chowmuhani to protest the three-day power outage in the Court office premises.
Despite multiple appeals to the power department, no significant action was taken until Wednesday morning, prompting them to stage the blockade, the lawyers alleged. Later, although a few staff members from the power department visited the court premises, no solution was reached.
The problem was eventually resolved later in the afternoon after the Law Minister of Tripura intervened.
Public protests in Agartala:
Residents of Dukli and Siddhi Ashram areas in Agartala gheraoed the power department office at Bardowali today demanding restoration of power supply in their areas. However, agitating residents alleged no one was present in the office.
Residents of Abhoynagar Veterinary road in Agartala blocked the road protesting against power outage since Tuesday night.
DYFI & Congress protests :
The state committee of the Left youth body – Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Wednesday protested against power outages across the state due to inadequate manpower to tackle the crisis.
The agitators showed the protest in front of the electricity corporation officer in TRTC complex here at Agartala and met the senior manager to seek her intervention.
The agitators demanded the senior manager to initiate the process of hiring adequate manpower in the department to tackle power crisis, especially amid the ongoing cyclonic storm.
Tripura Pradesh Congress also protested in Agartalsa over the prevailing power crisis.
Minister Ratan Lal Nath says:
Amidst growing discontent and protests, Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath reviewed the power disruption situation across the state through a video conference with Additional General Managers and Deputy General Managers from various areas of the State at the headquarters of TSECL on Wednesday.
Later in a social media post, Nath wrote, “After receiving a detailed report, I instructed them to ensure that power supply is restored to all parts of the state by tonight at any cost. I have also directed the corporation employees to work with additional manpower if necessary.”
The Minister also expressed regrets for the inconvenience and penned an appeal saying, “Since it is a completely mechanical matter, it is taking extra time for the repair work. I request the people of the state to cooperate in this matter”.
“I also request you to be kind enough not to let your anger over the inconvenience fall on the electricity repair teams. I hope that power supply will be restored to the entire state as before in a very short time”, he added.
(Tripura, Tripura News)
