Kamalanagar, October 7 : A protest rally at Chawngte against irregular power supply and bad road condition was organized today by all the NGOs under the umbrella of Joint Action Committee comprising of BYMA, Chawngte-L and Chawngte-P, YLA, Chawngte-P, CACA, MCSU, CMS, MZP, Chawngte, MBA, MCW, CDCEA, ZDU, Chawngte, CDCTA, JMWS, CYCA  and Tarum. Thousands in number joined the protest rally which started from Chawngte-L and concluded at the office complex of SDO(Civil), Chawngte where  memoranda to the SDO, Power & Electricity, Lungsen and to the Site-in-Charge, T & T Company, Lungsen were submitted. The air rant with angry slogans to abstain from paying bills until regular and sufficient power supply is made available.
Chawngte has been known for the poor track record of services in respect of these two basic amenities, the Memoranda states. According to the Memoranda, the last couple of months have been the worst phase in the recent time with regards to retention of power supply averaging very low on a per day basis and Rotlang to Chawngte road turning into a muddy track. The protest rally is a culmination of several efforts by the local NGOs to end the crisis falling on deaf ear. Earlier, the last month, the Joint Action Committee submitted memoranda to the Hon’ble Minister, Power & Electricity and PWD highlighting the problems faced by the people of Chawngte area due to terrible condition of the only roads from Rotlang to Chawngte and virtual absence of supply of electricity.
The 33KV Line from Lungsen to Chawngte has been put in place with much fanfare but hopes of the people of the area fizzled out before it could start operating. The memoranda blamed the T & T Company for installing an inappropriate Pin Installer and absence of several transformers at various locations against what is envisaged in the work order and non execution of work relating to replacing of old lines with 11KV lines within Chawngte area. The memoranda also demanded creation of Sub-Divisional Office at Chawngte and posting of JE at Chawngte power station. The Chairman, Joint Action Committee, Dangu Jyotir Moy Chakma lamented that power supply can be managed just for as long as the pressure can be maintained and the next moment it’s gone. However, the bills continue to remain high irrespective of continuity of supply of current, the memoranda says. The Joint Action Committee put a deadline to fulfill their demand to provide regular power supply by 13th October, 2013, failing, it stated shall not be responsible for any damage to the properties belonging to Power & Electricity Department within Chawngte town area.