Southco restores power in cyclone-hit Ganjam district

Power distributer Southco has restored electricity in 458 of 475 gram panchayats and to 5.22 of 5.51 lakh consumers in cyclone Phailin-hit Ganjam district of Odisha at the end of the deadline.
The deadline, set by Ganjam district administration, ended yesterday with emphasis on public utilities like hospitals, rural water supply, sanitation and public health projects, company sources said.
Opposition by farmers in some areas to erect lines and installing poles on crop fields and difficulty to transport materials to some inaccessible areas had delayed restoration of power carried out by over 3,000 personnel in public-private partnership, they said.
The district administration is likely to review the progress of power restoration very soon, official sources said.

The power infrastructure in the district was badly hit during the cyclone on October 12.
Meanwhile, the district administration has asked Berhampur Municipal Corporation to install street lights by this month-end.
Work has been completed in 70 per cent areas, corporation sources said.