People of Western Ri Bhoi, backed by the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), on Monday staged a public rally to highlight hardships faced by residents due to the poor power supply.
The rally was attended by sordars of various villages surrounding Patarkhmah, including school children.
During the rally, speakers expressed their dismay that Western Ri Bhoi has long been neglected when it comes to electricity supply, with frequent power cuts and unreliable service. They noted that despite the presence of government offices, schools, healthcare centres and other institutions in the area, which all depend heavily on electricity, the department has not paid any serious attention to addressing the people’s problems.
Sordar of Patarkhmah L. Petalman Thankhiew stated that many villages near the border are forced to get electric connectivity from Assam and pay regular bills, because power supply from Meghalaya is unreliable and expensive.
He also expressed concern that such dependence might eventually lead these villages to shift to Assam, which would be a huge loss not only for the area but for the entire state. He urged the government and the department to take immediate steps to ensure a stable power supply and to install a 33KV line to prevent further difficulties in the future.
HYC Western Ri Bhoi President R.C. Thangkhiew said the rally is not just a token demand but the beginning of a movement that would only end once the 33KV electricity supply is set up.
