The electricity shortage crisis in Andaman and Diglipur has reached alarming levels, with the Congress Party today staging a press conference to expose ongoing failures by the administration in providing reliable power to the islands. The party warned that without urgent intervention, the power situation will further deteriorate, adversely affecting daily life and economic growth.
The press conference was held under the leadership of Congress President Ranglal and Campaigning Committee Chairman T.S.G. Basakar. They detailed a grave situation where the administration has repeatedly failed to approve the necessary megawatts and supply critical machinery to meet demand. The party accused the administration of being unresponsive and incapable of addressing the issue, citing direct talks with officials that ended without resolution.
“We had a heart-to-heart with the administration and officers, but they openly admitted their inability to act,” said a Congress spokesperson. The leadership cautioned that as private power supply contracts approach expiry between August and September, the situation will worsen from December onwards due to the lack of renewed arrangements.
The party pointed out that privatization of power supply has added to the problems, with private operators implementing load shedding to protect their machinery, further limiting electricity availability. “Private companies are operating multiple engines to generate 5 MW, doubling fuel consumption and negating any green energy benefits,” the spokesperson explained.
According to Congress leaders, South Andaman requires about 55 MW of power but is currently receiving only 45 MW. Of this, a mere 7 MW is supplied directly by government power sources. This is a sharp drop from the 20 MW provided before 2014 under a 20-year agreement made by the then Congress government with Surya Chakra Bambooflat.
Further compounding the crisis is the cancellation of a 5 MW private power purchase agreement in Chatham, which had been extended multiple times. Efforts to procure a new 15 MW government-owned generator were reportedly rejected by Lieutenant Governor (LG) D.K. Joshi, leaving the islands reliant on an unreliable private power sector.
The Congress leaders revealed that a critical gap in power supply is the absence of a power bank system to store solar energy. While solar panels provide power during the daytime, without storage, nighttime supply is disrupted. They noted that although solar subsidies are available, bureaucratic hurdles and lack of trust have made residents reluctant to invest in these systems.
The party criticized the electricity department’s staffing shortages, highlighting vacancies of three executive engineers, 20 junior engineers, and 50 linemen. These shortages hamper maintenance and rapid response to power outages, especially during adverse weather conditions when fallen trees and damaged lines require immediate attention.
The proposed electricity tariffs for industrial and commercial consumers are also under fire. The Congress pointed out that a tariff of Rs. 25.10 per unit is being proposed in Andaman, which is significantly higher than Rs. 9 in Delhi, Rs. 7.80 in Pondicherry, and even lower rates in Ladakh and Chandigarh. This threatens the competitiveness of local industries and businesses struggling amid inflation and economic challenges.
The Congress party accused the administration, including the LG, of being unresponsive to public concerns and indifferent to local issues. “Even the government’s own MP has admitted that LG does not listen to anyone,” they said. The leadership called for the LG’s removal, stating that as long as the current administration remains, progress in Andaman and Nicobar Islands will be stifled.
Despite several protests and repeated warnings over the last three years, Congress leaders said the administration has taken no substantial action. They appealed for a larger public movement, suggesting shutdowns for one or more days to draw the attention of central government leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, to the crisis.
The Congress also raised concerns about the current management structure of the electricity department. The chief engineer’s post remains a temporary charge, resulting in a lack of focused leadership. The party stressed the need for a dedicated chief engineer to ensure better planning and timely execution of projects.
With tourism and other key sectors already suffering from unreliable electricity, the Congress warned that without swift remedial measures, the economic status of the islands would continue to decline. The failure to upgrade infrastructure, procure modern machinery, and implement effective policies could plunge the Islands into a prolonged energy crisis.
The leaders ended the press conference urging the public to rise and demand accountability from the administration, promising continued protests and rallies until the power situation improves.
