NT NETWORK
CUNCOLIM
A fresh tender for renovation and improvement of the existing low tension power distribution network system in Cuncolim municipal area at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore has kicked off a new controversy as a proposal for underground cabling of overhead lines is pending with the government.
Chief electrical engineer has called for request of tender documents from suppliers by December 12 and filing online submissions of tender documents by December 14. Ironically, a corrigendum was published that the technical bid would be opened on December 15 while the financial bid for the Rs 3.5 crore worth project would be communicated later.
Bureaucrat-turned-politician Elvis Gomes charged that the proposal is an election gimmick by the government to show that some work is being done in the constituency and demanded that the underground cabling be carried out as there is continuous damage to the overhead lines due to thick vegetation and accidents.
Chairperson of Cuncolim Municipal Council (CMC) Lavita Mascarenhas informed that while there is no resolution passed by the council for underground cabling, the overhead wires pose a threat to the people as they are very old and dangling dangerously low while Cuncolim has thick vegetation and there have been several instances where trees have crashed on overhead lines.
She informed that prior to monsoon, the deputy collector Ajit Panchwadkar had asked the council to identify trees posing threat to overhead lines. However nobody turned up prior to monsoon or post-monsoon.
She said the council would definitely prefer underground cabling in Cuncolim more so for the safety of the people before there is any untoward incident like the one which occurred in neighbouring Sarzora where livestock were electrocuted after live wires snapped and fell into the water-logged fields.
Cuncolim MLA Rajan Naik informed, “I had submitted a proposal to the government at the start of my tenure for underground cabling for the entire constituency. The proposal is yet to find favour with the government and has been kept aside to complete the on-going works as underground cabling is being carried out along the coastal belt.”
Naik informed that if the BJP is voted to power, underground cabling would be taken up in the constituency on a priority basis. However, Gomes demanded that the tender be immediately scrapped.