Meghalaya’s Amlarem reels under constant power outages: Lahkmen Rymbui

Residents of Amlarem in Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills are living with near-daily power outages, a problem so severe that candlelight dinners have become routine rather than a luxury.

The issue was raised in the Assembly on September 10 by UDP legislator Lahkmen Rymbui, who said that despite hosting the Lakroh and Leshka power projects, the subdivision continues to face crippling electricity shortages.

Rymbui urged the government to intervene urgently to ease the crisis. Responding to the concerns, Power Minister Abu Taher Mondal admitted that Amlarem and the adjoining Bakur-Dawki-Darrang belt face frequent supply disruptions, largely due to heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and strong winds that damage conductors and bring down trees onto transmission lines running through plantations.

Mondal also pointed out that planned shutdowns for system upgrades under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) and LR projects add to the disruption. At present, 16 linemen and jugalis are deployed in the subdivision to carry out repairs and restore supply.

The minister said the government is working to sanction a new sub-station at Syndai to improve the electricity supply in Amlarem. He further assured that a new sub-station in Rajabala, West Garo Hills, will be operational within the year, which he said will resolve power woes in that constituency. (With inputs from PTI)