The power sector has suffered extensive losses due to Cyclone Remal, with many areas still facing power issues, an official revealed on Thursday. Speaking to reporters, Abhishek Singh, Secretary to the Power Department, stated that the preliminary assessment indicates the Power Department incurred losses exceeding Rs. 5 crore. Fortunately, there were no reports of casualties due to the precautionary measures taken by the administration.
550-km lines, 850 poles affected:
Singh elaborated that the storm had caused significant damage to power infrastructure across every district in the state. Approximately 550 kilometers of power transmission lines, 850 electric poles, and over 100 transformers were impacted by the cyclone.
994 staff engaged in restoration work :
In a bid to restore electricity services, a total of 994 staff from the Power Department, including those from contracted organizations, have been actively working since Remal struck. “Around 60 percent of the damaged electric poles have already been repaired, and the remaining work will be completed soon,” Singh assured.
Many areas still facing power issues :
The secretary highlighted that immediate actions were taken to address calls from various parts of the state regarding power outages. The Power Department has been working in close coordination with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local administration, Forest Department, and other relevant agencies to normalize the power supply.
State Project Officer of the State Disaster Management Authority Sharat Das reported that approximately 1,574 houses were damaged due to the cyclone. Currently, 1,220 people are staying in 12 relief camps at various locations. He added that the assessment of damages in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal is ongoing.
Debashis Sarkar, Managing Director of TSECL, was also present at the press conference held at the civil secretariat.
