Agartala, Aug 26, 2024, TRIPURATIMES Desk

Agartala, Aug 26: The massive floods have caused massive damages in the power sector across Tripura, an official said on Monday.

The damages were estimated between Rs. 200 to 250 crore, secretary to the Power department Abhishek Singh said in a press conference.

He also said, the Drinking Water and Sanitation department has faced an approximate loss of Rs 98 crore. Additionally, the urban and municipal areas suffered damages amounting to around Rs 300 crore. Singh said, the figures may rise after the final assessment.

The Secretary highlighted the relentless efforts of engineers and workers in the power department to restore electricity services. As a result, the restoration work in various electricity sub-divisions has progressed between 67 percent and 100 percent.

He expressed hope that the power services would be fully restored across all districts within the next few days. However, he noted that in certain areas, where electricity is yet to be restored, it may take another 2 to 3 days due to the extensive damage caused by unprecedented floods.

The secretary emphasized the severe impact of the floods on the power generation and transmission lines, which have suffered considerable damage, with several power lines completely destroyed.

The Secretary also addressed the efforts being made by the Drinking Water and Sanitation department to ensure the continuous supply of potable water.

He mentioned that various water treatment plants, deep and shallow tube wells, and innovative projects have been damaged. However, efforts to restore these facilities are underway, and in many cases, the water sources have already been made operational.

Singh reassured the public that as per the standard procedure, the amount of alum used in water treatment has been increased. While this may cause a slight change in the taste of the water, there is no reason for concern.

He also mentioned that 91 relief camps are still operational in various urban and municipal areas, where measures are being taken to ensure health and hygiene, including the use of bleaching powder and the inspection of drainage systems.

Biswajit Basu, Managing Director of Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited, CEO of Jal Board Rajat Pant, General Manager of the Power Corporation Swapan Debbarma, and Chief Engineer of the Drinking Water and Sanitation department Shyamlal Bhowmik were also present in the press conference.

They discussed the situation in detail and provided updates on the restoration of power and water supply in flood-affected areas of the state. Visuals of the on-going restoration works were also shared with the media during the briefing.