MARGAO
Agitated residents of Coldem-Telaulim on Friday noon laid a virtual siege at the entrance to the Aquem Power House building, as they locked the entrance gate to the complex to protest against the inordinate delay in installing a power transformer in the locality.
As a precautionary measure, the main gate of the Aquem Power House was locked by officials and police were deployed to stop the agitators from entering the building.
The people, led by social activist Pratima Coutinho, withdrew the siege after two hours after senior Power officials publicly assured them that the transformer would be installed at Coldem within one month. Before leaving, the protestors warned that they would return to the Power House with a much larger crowd if the Power Department failed to honour the promise.
Trouble began at around 2.30 pm when the residents returned to the Power House as per the 24-hour deadline set by them for the Power Department on Thursday. Armed with placards, the protestors locked the complex gate as part of the protest, as the concerned Power official was still in Panjim discussing the matter with senior Power officials.
Assistant Engineer Sharad Naik, along with a lady Executive Engineer, pacified the crowd by pointing out that the department would set in motion the process to obtain expenditure sanction for the transformer within a week’s time, promising to complete the work within 25 days.
After much discussion, the people said they were ready to give the department one month’s time, but made it clear that the work should be completed within the deadline.
