Poles installed 5 yrs ago, when will cables come?

The Power Development Board under a project to supply electricity to five Khagrachhari villages in 2007 installed the poles but failed to put cables and transformers in the last five years.Photo: STAR

Around 10,000 people of Baltali, Khamarpara, Larmapara, Paltanjoypara and Charachhara villages in Sadar upazila of the district are suffering for want of electricity supply as the Power Development Board (PDB) project for installation of power supply cables and transformer has remained suspended for five years.
In 2007, PDB started a project to bring the area under power supply but the project, scheduled to complete in 2010, remained stopped after setting up of electricity pillars within one year, said sources at the Khagrachhari office of PDB.
"We have to do our necessary work by lighting kerosene lamps at night. We are also suffering a lot to collect drinking water as there are only a few deep tube-wells in the hill area while power-run water pumps cannot be set up due to lack of electricity supply," said Sucarna Rowaza of Larmapara village.
"We find it difficult to study with scanty light of kerosene lamp. In summer season we suffer much as we cannot use electric fan," said Nomita Chakma, a student of class six of Khamarpara village.
Ratan Tripura, a farmer of Paltanjoypara said they cannot use any power-run tools for cultivation.
"Socio-economic development of the area is badly hampered due to lack of power supply. After setting up of electricity poles, the project work has remained pending as the transformer and cables were not installed due to the negligence of PDB officials concerned," said Sanjib Tripura, member of ward No 4 of Parachhara Union Parishad.
"We approached the PDB office concerned several times but got only lip service," he said.
Asked about the matter, Executive Engineer of Khagrachhari PDB Atikram Chakma did not say anything specific about the cause of the postponement of the project work for unusually long period.
He just said, "It will complete soon."