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Bengal

Power restored in 16 Amphan-hit districts, state ensures speedy finish

Kolkata: Within a record time, the state government has restored power supply in major areas of Bengal and Kolkata after 16 districts were badly affected due to the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan.

However, there are some small pockets where the problem is persisting and work is on at a war footing to restore electricity in those areas.

"Power supply has been restored in major parts of the affected areas, including Kolkata. It has also become possible to ensure the same in the rural parts apart from a few areas in North and South 24-Parganas where the devastation has been maximum," said state Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay.

He further said the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Corporation (WBSEDCL) has repaired and restored all the 58 damaged power transmission sub-stations and 259 out of 279 affected power distribution sub-stations. The power supply in 94 out of the 103 municipalities where the WBSEDCL provides the service has also been restored. However, it has not been possible to normalise the situation at nine municipal areas including Pujali, Budge Budge, Rajpur-Sonarpur, Baduria, Habra, Ashoknagar and Gobardanga.

In connection with the restoration of power supply in Kolkata and its surrounding areas where CESC operates, Bandyopadhyay said: "Though basic power supply has been restored in major parts, there are certain pockets where round-the-clock work is going on to normalise the situation at the earliest. We are being informed that they (CESC) are working at South Eastern and South Western suburbs of the city — Panchasayar, Santoshpur, Survey Park, Regent Park, Behala and Sarsuna areas. The state government is keeping constant pressure on them. CESC has also informed that they are trying their best to restore normalcy in areas, including Rajabagan, Nadial, Garfa, Jadavpur and Parnashree."

He further maintained that CESC authorities have brought workers from Rajasthan and engaged them in carrying out the needful at areas including Patuli and Panchasayar. CESC authorities have stated in a tweet: "We are committed to work on a war footing to ensure normalcy. Of 33 lac consumers, 32 lac have been connected. Teams are working round the clock. You have been very patient. We seek your cooperation as we work 24/7 to restore normalcy."

This comes when the state government's assessment has revealed that 16 districts including Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata, Nadia, East and West Midnapore and North and South 24-Parganas were badly hit by the cyclone causing damage of Rs 1 lakh crore and affecting lives of 6 crore people while it claimed 86 lives have been lost so far. The state government had evacuated 8.13 lakh people and they were given shelter in three lakh relief centres.

Bandyopadhyay said power and water supply in 90 per cent of the affected areas in Hooghly have been restored. The restoration work for undisrupted power supply in East Midnapore and Nadia is also almost complete. Work is going on in war footing in the most affected areas of North and South 24-Parganas districts.

Besides ensuring undisrupted power supply in major parts of the state within five days after the cyclone wreaked havoc, the state government has also successfully cleared all national and state highways. At the same time with efforts of both WBSEDCL and CESC power supply at water booster stations and major hospitals apart from a few in Sagar Island has been restored. The state Irrigation department has also started reconstructing embankments and engineers have been pressed for inspection to begin repairing of damaged bridges.

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