Port Blair, Aug 18: Highlighting the prolonged power cut issue of Katchal Island, the Member of Parliament, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has requested the Secretary (Power) A&N Administration to resolve the power crisis as soon as possible.

In a letter addressed to the Secretary (Power) the Member of Parliament mentioned that he has been approached by a large number of residents of Katchal Island, who have expressed their deep frustration regarding the severe and extended power cuts they have been enduring for the past nearly 10 days.

He said that as per the public, initially, the power cuts lasted for approximately eight hours, which itself was a substantial inconvenience. However, the situation took a turn for the worse yesterday, when the power cut extended throughout the entire day.

He pointed out that these prolonged power cuts are being attributed to a shortage of High-Speed Diesel (HSD) oil on Katchal Island. Additionally, the delay in transporting the required HSD oil from Port Blair to Katchal Island is further exacerbating the situation.

The Member of Parliament said that Katchal Island, being remote and isolated, already faces numerous challenges due to its geographical location. The residents of Katchal Island have demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of these challenges, but the current scenario of power cuts lasting over 8 to 10 hours daily has greatly compounded their hardships.

In light of this, he requested the Secretary (Power) to intervene and address this issue on an urgent basis. “It is crucial that the supply of HSD oil to Katchal Island is expedited to restore regular and uninterrupted power supply as soon as possible,” he added.

Furthermore, he also requested to implement measures that prevent such delays in the future. “Reliable and timely supply of essential resources like HSD oil to not only Katchal Island but also other remote islands, is of paramount importance,” he added.