Shillong: Residents and traditional leaders in the Balachanda-Rajabala belt have raised alarms over the near-total collapse of local power infrastructure. Community organizations, including the Garo State Movement Committee, the Achik Socio-Politic Front, and the FKJGP, submitted a formal grievance to the Selsella SDO of MePDCL on Monday to address the ongoing crisis.
Locals report suffering more than 30 power outages daily, compounded by persistent low voltage. Protesters blame the frequent blackouts on aging equipment, asserting that a single transformer is struggling to support the electricity demand for the entire region. These service failures have severely impacted local trade and student education for months despite repeated appeals to the department for help.
The community also expressed strong dissatisfaction with SAI Computers Ltd, the private firm responsible for regional billing. Residents accused the company of imposing unjustified price hikes and sudden fines without any prior warning. The groups characterized these financial practices as “predatory” and are now calling for a full investigation into the billing system.
To restore stability, the complainants are demanding an immediate load assessment and a reliable power distribution strategy for the plains belt. They hope the MePDCL will act quickly to resolve the infrastructure flaws and review the charges levied by the private billing contractor.
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