Chopal, Nerwa sans power for two days

Shimla, August 19

Residents in the Chopal sub-division of the district have been facing a complete blackout for the past two days as the main transmission line and some towers from Huli near Kotkhai to Jhiknipul sub-station were damaged by trees uprooted due to landslide and floods triggered by the heavy rains in the past couple of days. 

The residents are facing a harrowing time without electricity and communication means. All power lines are damaged and mobile phones and landlines are dead for the past three days, the residents rued. 

Farmers have stopped harvesting apple due to the heavy spells of rainfall. Also, dozens of link roads in many panchayats have been damaged due to landslides and many kuchcha roads have turned into flood-ravaged khuds full of mud and slush, making it impossible for vehicles to move, said Sunny Raj Banchaik, a farmer from Shantha.  He said they were worried as the muddy roads would hit apple transportation if the PWD did not repair these roads in time. The apple season is at its peak from mid-August and hopefully the weather would open in a couple of days.  Meanwhile, Rajesh Sood, SE, HPSEBL, Shimla circle, said the main transmission line from Huli to Jhiknipul and Chopal was restored on Monday evening. “We have restored the electricity in Chopal sub-divisional headquarters. But the Jhiknipul-Nerwa line will take a day or two to get repaired,” he added. — TNS