The Gap Between Promise and Reality in Power Supply Across Andaman & Nicobar Islands

TMI Bureau

Sri Vijaya Puram, June 4: The people of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands continue to endure significant inconvenience and financial losses due to the irregular and inadequate electricity supply provided by the Electricity Department. Despite repeated assurances and policy commitments by the Government of India, uninterrupted and quality power remains a distant dream for island residents.

Electricity is vital for modern life, empowering households, businesses, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities. It illuminates homes, fuels appliances, and sustains operations across all sectors. However, in South Andaman, the erratic power supply is causing widespread disruption in daily life and economic activities.

"There's no fixed schedule for power cuts-day, night, midnight, early morning, evening-you name it. Hours-long blackouts are frequent, and many of our electronic appliances have been damaged. Who is responsible for compensating us for these losses?" lamented frustrated residents of Sri Vijaya Puram.

Ironically, the official website of the Ministry of Power, Government of India, outlines ambitious goals under the National Electricity Policy (Gazette of India, dated February 12, 2005, Resolution No. 23/40/2004-R&R (Vol.II)).

Key objectives stated in the policy include:

* Electricity access for all households within five years

* Full demand met by 2012, including overcoming energy and peak shortages

* Reliable and quality power supply at reasonable rates

* Increase in per capita electricity availability to over 1000 units by 2012

* Minimum lifeline consumption of 1 unit/household/day as a merit good by 2012

* Protection of consumer interests through quality benchmarks and standards

Section 5.13 of the policy mandates that regulatory commissions oversee utility performance using parameters such as frequency and duration of power cuts, voltage stability, transformer failure rates, and consumer grievance resolution timelines.

Further, Section 6.0 emphasizes the need for coordinated development, stating that electricity is a concurrent subject requiring joint action by both Central and State Governments. It also assigns a developmental role to regulatory commissions, encouraging stakeholder consultation and transparency.

Despite these clearly articulated goals and crores of rupees reportedly spent on infrastructure and equipment, the ground reality in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands remains unchanged. The persistent power crisis not only hampers daily life but also undermines trust in governance and public accountability.

Residents across the islands are demanding immediate intervention, better transparency, and a long-term solution to the electricity woes that have plagued the region for years.

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