Jalpaiguri: The Jalpaiguri Regional Office of the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) has released a list of losses incurred by the power distribution company owing to the Tornado.
On Monday, the office reported a loss of over Rs 2.5 crore, encompassing damages to electricity cables, poles and transformers. The department has stated that electricity connections to the homes of affected consumers have already been restored.
The Jalpaiguri regional office of the WBSEDCL revealed that the storm on March 1 caused extensive damage, with 90 km length of cables destroyed in Barnis, Dharmapur, and Madhabdang-1 village panchayat areas of the Maynaguri block. Additionally, 20 kilometres of other cables and 530 electricity poles were destroyed. Out of 45 transformers, 15 were completely damaged, while 30 were partially damaged. Furthermore, 360 consumers required new electricity meters, while 400 consumers had meters that were partially damaged.
Since the day after the storm, 500 workers have been working tirelessly day and night to install new lines across the entire area, to restore electricity, according to the department.
Sanjay Mondal, the Regional Manager of WBSEDCL Jalpaiguri, stated, “The storm caused significant damage to the power lines in the entire area, necessitating a complete overhaul.
Door-to-door connections have been provided free of charge to consumers. While the situation in the area has now returned to normal, the area will be reviewed again to ensure that all connections in their position after damaged homes are properly repaired. Consumers who have not yet had their electricity service restored are encouraged to contact the department directly. Moreover, households with old or partially damaged power lines are being identified, and residents are reminded to use electricity with caution to prevent accidents.”