Ministers face music in Delta over delay in power supply

After Nagapttinam MLA and State Minister OS Manian drew flak, now it is the turn of Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu to face the public demanding immediate restoration of power.

Tension broke in Thanjavur district when a group of farmers confronted Minister Doraikannu and the party MP R Vaithilingam demanding immediate restoration of power. “It has been more than 25 days and we are withoutpower when this is the situation, the state Ministers give press statements informing that over 90 per cent of the power supply has been restored,” farmers told the Minister who came to distribute relief to coconut farmers hit by Cyclone Gaja.

Sensing trouble, Minister Doraikannu assured the public of relief and the local police officials cordoned off the elected representatives from the crowd easing the situation.

“Preference is given to those who grease the palms of Tangedco engineers,” alleged village headman A Palanivel of Kaariyavidhuthi. “Further, our village is targeted by the EB officials for posting an image in social media showing Tangedco in a bad light,” he added. “Every resident mobilised funds and extended logistical support to help the EB staff so that the power supply is restored, but the fixed EB line is without power supply. Last week, when the villagers resorted to protest, Thiruvonam police intervened and assured to restore power supply. More than a week had passed no respite and the EB officials are deliberately avoiding our village due to the bribe expose,” Palanivel alleged.

When contacted, the Kaariyaviduthi power station officials denied that the EB staff demanded a bribe to restore power in remote areas. “For the past four weeks, our employees are working without sleep and rest. There are groups who play cheap politics in the taluk and Tangedco is unnecessarily targeted,” a senior TNEB engineer said wishing not to be named.