Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal reviews power situation in State

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday directed the State Power Department to take adequate measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply at health institutions of the State, especially where quarantine facilities are developed. The Chief Minister also commended the service of Power Department officials amid COVID-19 pandemic and directed the department to take steps for sensitization of people regarding Union Government Advisory on the PM’s call to switch off lights at homes for nine minutes on April 5.

The Chief Minister directed this while reviewing over all power situation in the State and the Department’s preparedness in view of the PM’s call to the people of the country to switch off the lights at their homes and light up lamps, candles or mobile phone torches for nine minutes at 9 pm tomorrow to display the country’s collective resolve to defeat novel coronavirus in a meeting held at his office conference room at Janata Bhawan today.

The Power Department officials informed CM Sonowal that as per advisory issued by the Central Government, people are requested to switch of lights of their homes only and there is no call to switch off street lights or appliances like computers, television sets, fans, refrigerators and air conditioners.

Further, the Chief Minister directed the officials to arrange meetings in all districts immediately under the chairmanship of deputy commissioners tomorrow morning and make wide publicity to sensitize people on the Union Government’s advisory for the switch off period on April 5 and ensure that no disruption takes place in the power grid for the same.

Chief Minister Sonowal also asked the field level officials of Power Department to visit all quarantine facilities and health institutions in consultation with health officials to review provisions for electricity supply at such places. He also instructed the Power Department to keep adequate transformers and generators ready besides sensitizing health authorities to keep electricians at hand to deal with any exigency.

Chairman of APDCL Vinod Kumar Pipersenia, Principal Secretary to CM Sanjay Lohiya and senior officials of the Department were present in the meeting.

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