The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has launched a probe into a power failure that lasted 16 hours in the Peerumade area in Idukki after its employees took leave en masse and allegedly went on an excursion.
According to local residents, power supply in areas under the Pothupara section office was disrupted around 5 p.m. on Friday after heavy rain. The power disruption affected the functioning of the Peerumade taluk hospital, taluk office and the police station. When the local residents contacted the KSEB Pothupara section office, they were told that the employees there had gone on an excursion to a neighbouring State. Despite interventions from the top, the power supply could be resumed only 16 hours later.
Social worker and Peerumade resident P.M. Asad filed a complaint before the Chief Minister demanding action to avoid such incidents. “The power supply was disrupted around 5 p.m. on Friday and was restored only after 9.20 a.m. on Saturday. The mainline connecting the Pothupara section passes through deep forest and if it is shifted to the road, maintenance can be taken up easily,” said Mr. Asad.
According to officials, the KSEB started an internal inquiry into the incident. The KSEB Executive Engineer has sought a report from the Assistant Executive Engineer.
A senior KSEB official said that the board would take further action after getting the report. “If any negligence occurred on the part of the officials, action will be taken against them. The allegation that officials took mass leave for a leisure trip is baseless. Some officials went to Theni in Tamil Nadu to attend the wedding of a KSEB staff member,” said the official.
“The power supply was disrupted following lightning and the main line passes through deep forest. The KSEB has already set up a parallel underground cable connection through the main road and it will be commissioned soon,” said the official.
