'Kalimpong people deprived of electricity genersted from river Teesta close by'

YOWAN MOTHAY, EOI, KALIMPONG, AUGUST 3, 2022 :Residents of Harijan Road in Kalimpong town area were without power supply for more than 24 hours on Wednesday and faced with various problems. This was not, however, a new experience for residents of the area They face the problem every month.

"We feel we are 20 years behind Sikkim in development," said P. K.Rai, a resident of the area. "Sikkim is also a hilly region. Why are they not facing this problem?" 

Electricity was one of the basic needs, but the list of problems was long for residents of the Kalimpong Municipality area. 

"Electricity is generated from river Teesta near the city. From there, electricity is supplied to areas outside, but the local people are deprived of the basic need of electricity," Rai said. 

CPI(M) leader Tara Sundas said while India is celebrating 75 years of Independence people of Kalimpong were deprived of basic things like water and electricity. 

Sundas said that the department should not be careless in a sensitive matters like electricity.

At the time of power cuts, calls to the electricity supply offices went unanswered. A Power Department official said was no supply in the Harijan Road area on Tuesday due to the breakdown of the transformer. 

 "This is not a big deal. Sometimes the line breaks. But the department repairs it. Last night an attempt was made to repair the transformer but it could not be made to work. That's why the transformer has been and there is power on Harijan Road since Wednesday morning."