Dambuk lights up after 18 years

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, April 17: The eighteen long years of darkness in Dambuk (an ADC Headquarter of Lower Dibang Valley District) comes to an end, with the dedication of 2x1 MVA, 33/11 KV Line Power Sub-Station by Home and Power Minister Tanga Byaling in presence of Parliamentary Secretary WRD Gum Tayeng in a small but impressive ceremony held Thursday.

As the minister illumited a CFL bulb mounted from a temporary board before unveiling the dedication stone plate, a roaring applause erupted from the public gathered to witness the special occasion.

The 33/11 KV line is drawn from Mebo in East Siang 45 kilometers away from Dambuk town. The Power Station was sanctioned under NLCPR in 2010-11 with an amount of 652.83 lakhs and completed in 30th December 2014, an official release informed here today.

Dedicating the Power Sub-Station, Byaling urged the people to judiciously use the power and generously pay revenue. The Home and Power Minister also outlined the responsibility of citizens in maintaining the power station without much depending on the department.

On Pre-Paid Electric Meter, he said that PEM creates awareness among people in saving energy. He resented that despite the government endeavour to curb power and revenue leakage with the installation of PEM, some section of people is opposing it. Extolling Adi community for being hardworking and peace loving, the Home Minister informed that Tuki led government is giving top priority to agriculture and horticulture sectors in its Vision Aruchal 2030 so that Aruchal becomes self-reliant state. “Adi people are known to be as most skillful and peaceful community in Aruchal Pradesh”, the minister added. Byaling also inspected the Dambuk Police Station later.

Expressing happiness that power sub-station has been completed even before the second installment of the fund being released, the Minister directed the Superintendent Engineer of Power to seek release of remaining installment fund from the Planning Department.

Responding to a representation submitted by local MLA Gum Tayeng, Byaling gave assurance to establish a Fire Station at Dambuk and assured to look into the matter of Paglam and Parbuk. He also said that he would discuss with the Director General of Police for upgrading of Dambuk Police Station and posting of SDPO. Expressing concern over the long porous boundary with Assam and frequent disturbances created by unwanted elements, Parliamentary Secretary WRD Gum Tayeng sought the Home Minister for establishment of an IRBn Headquarter at Anpum or Paglam. She also pleaded for establishment of a Police out-post at Kabang under Parbuk circle. The adjacent villages like Kapang, Yapgo, Tapat, Remi, Poblung, Sirang and Bomjir will be connected by this new power station and a population of more than four thousand populations is likely to benefit. Earlier, the people were living with only two hours of electricity out of 24 hours from 100KW DG set run by the power department after Sisiri Hydel went defunct in 1995. However, the department was uble run properly due to fund constraint but later local MLA Gum Tayeng bore the fuel expenses to run the DG set. The Hydro Power Parliamentary Secretary Phurpa Tsering during his visit to Dambuk in Novemeber 2014 had also assured to establish the Hydel at Sissar River. It is said that the department has already conducted a survey on the feasible site.