Rebels gun down three, blow up pipeline, power towers on R-day GUWAHATI, Jan 27: Suspected militants gunned down three persons, blew up two electric towers and a gas pipeline, detonated a bomb and engaged in encounter with security forces in separate incidents of violence in different parts of the state on Republic Day. Suspected National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) rebels gunned down three woodcutters near the Nangalbhanga river at Narayanguri under Kokrajhar district on Wednesday morning. In another incident, militants blew up a portion of 132 KV Gossaigaon-Gauripur single circuit electric tower with remote-control devices at Joldapara in Dhubri district on Wednesday night. Militants also blew up another tower of the Power Grid Corporation at Gharagaon on Darrang district on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, suspected Ulfa militants blew up a gas pipeline of the Oil India Limited at Gathupathar in Sasoni under Naharkatia police station in Dibrugarh district on Wednesday night. The line carried gas from the Salmari oilfield to the gas collecting station number one. Militants also detonated a bomb on a RCC road bridge at Garigaon in Kokrajhar district. However, there were no reports of any damage. In another incident in Karbi Anglong, an encounter took place between the security forces and unidentified militants, but no one was injured. (With inputs from our Duliajan and Bongaigaon Correspondents) [NED]

ASPWU stage protest dharna

GUWAHATI, Jan 31: The Assam State Power Workers Union (ASPWU) offered dharna infront of the ASEB headquarters here protesting against the bifurcation of the ASEB, privatizing it and demanding higher productions, regular electric supply, preventing wastage and corruption in the Board, stated a press release. [S]

Underhand dealings continues in ASEB

GUWAHATI, Feb 1: A coterie is at work to make the resource-starved Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) bleed more white, even as the Board is facing serious problems in matters of revamping its power generation, transmission and distribution network. [AT]

Pleas for security against ultra attacks

KOHIMA, Feb 3: The Power Ministers of north-eastern States have called for adequate deployment of security personnel in the Central power undertakings located in the region in view of recent attack by extremists, official sources said here today, reports PTI. [AT]

ASEB protest demonstration

GUWAHATI, March 8: The employees of the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) will stage a protest demonstration on March 9 at Dispur Lastgate to protest against the State government move to privatise the Board, said a press release. [AT]

NSCN (I-M) tax notice jolts NEEPCO project WOKHA (Nagaland), March 19: Dogged by both man-made and natural calamities, the much-delayed NEEPCO Doyang Hydro-electric Power Project has received another jolt when NSCN (I-M) recently demanded Rs 1.50 crore from the power unit as 'tax'. [AT]

Erratic power supply hits south Kamrup areas

AZARA, March 27: Erratic power supply in Azara, Dharapur, Kahikuchi, Borjhar, Rani, Majirgaon, Palashbari, Mirza, Bijoynagar, Rampur, Chhaygaon etc in South Kamrup has caused inconveniences to the people since the last several months. Power supply is scant. Worse still, there has been frequent load-shedding by ASEB, the worst suffers being the students particularly the examinees of on-going examinations. [AT]

6 NEEPCO employees abducted in Mizoram

AIZAWL, March 31: Six employees of the North-East Electricity and Power Corporation (NEEPCO) were kidnapped by suspected ULFA militants from the project site of the Tuirial hydro power project early this morning, reports UNI. [AT]

Hmar ultras have abducted NEEPCO employees : Minister

AIZAWL, April 3 (PTI): Mizoram Home Minister Tawnluia today said the insurgents who had kidnapped six employees of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO) on Friday are suspected to be militants belonging to Manipur's Hmar People's Convention. [S]

NEEPCO employees' abduction : Hand of HPC (D) suspected

AIZAWL, April 4: The Mizoram police suspects the involvement of Hmar People's Conference (Democratic) in the abduction of six North-Eastern Electricity and Power Corporation (NEEPCO) employees from site of Tuirial hydro-power project, reports UNI. [AT]

Abducted NEEPCO officials still untraced

AIZAWL, April 9 (PTI): Six employees of North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO) abducted by Hmar insurgent group nine days ago in Mizoram are still in captivity of the underground outfit which has not placed any ransom demand so far, police said. [S]

Rebels seek Rs 1-cr ransom

SILCHAR, April 14: Militants holding six North-Eastern Electric Power Corporation employees captive since March 31 have demanded Rs 1 crore as ransom. The six power corporation employees were abducted from the site of the Tuirial hydroelectric project at Bilkhawtlir in Mizoram. According to a one-page notice received by the Tuirial project office yesterday, the Shillong-based power corporation has to pay Rs 1 crore or be ready to "sacrifice" the lives of six of its technical personnel. The note, however, did not specify the name of the outfit which carried out the abductions. [TT]

HPC (D) demands Rs 1 cr from NEEPCO

AIZAWL, April 17 (PTI): The Hmar People's Convention (Democrats) militants have demanded Rs 1 crore as ransom for the release of the six employees of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO), held captive since March 31, a top State official said today. [S]

Severe storm lashes State, 3 dead

GUWAHATI, May 1: The power supply in the city has been badly affected by the yesterday's cyclonic storm. Two 32 KV lines have been badly affected. Following the damage of electric posts and break of electric wires power supply was totally disrupted in the capital complex, Guwahati Medical College Hospital complex, Zoo Road, Satgaon, Jyotinagar, Noonmati, Jawahar Nagar etc., areas.
UNI adds:At least two persons, including a girl died and two others injured and property worth several lakhs of rupees was damaged by the cyclonic storm in different parts of the State last night.
In Guwahati, a girl died and two others were injured when an uprooted tree fell on them. The injured were shifted to the hospital.
A Tezpur report said a person died while property worth lakhs of rupees was damaged in the cyclonic storm in Sonitpur district. [S]

NEEPCO threat to NE states SHILLONG, May 2: The North Eastern Electrical Power Corporation (NEEPCO) has threatened to disconnect power supply to Assam and the North-eastern States from June 1 next unless the staggering outstandings amounting to Rs 896.64 crore are cleared by May 31 next. [AT]

3 CPM supporters shot; 4 power Dept employees abducted

AGARTALA, May 4: National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) militants shot dead three CPI(M) supporters in Sidhai police station area last night and burnt down their houses. All the victims are tribals and belonged to one family. The NLFT attack came within hours of the second phase Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections.
In another incident, four power department employees were abducted from North Tripura district yesterday. The employees were repairing a power line in remote Langtarai valley hill range when they were abducted. [AT]

Consumers resent acute power shortage in Dergaon

DERGAON, May 5: The people of Dergaon are no exception to the irregular power supply that has now become a regular phenomenon in the State, which has created consternation among the public. The latest antics of Dergaon ASEB with never ending frequent power cuts has led to resentment among the people. [S]

City reeling under soaring temperature

GUWAHATI, May 13: It is a heat wave condition caused by the rainless and cloudless condition almost all over the NE region for the past few days. In almost all places of the region surface temperature is up by 5^o to 6^o Celsius above the respective normal temperatures during these days. Disruption in the ASEB power supply in the city has added to the miseries of the people for the past two days.The maximum temperature recorded in the city today was 37.5^o Celsius against a normal of 31^o Celsius on May 13. [AT]

Frequent power cuts make life miserable

GUWAHATI, May 14: Frequent power cuts at a time when the city is reeling under heat wave condition have made life miserable for the people. In the last few days Guwahati witnessed frequent power cuts even in the night hours and the newspaper houses have to depend mainly on generator sets to keep going. [AT]

ASEB in throes of severe financial crisis

GUWAHATI, May 24: The Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) is facing a severe financial crisis as the gap between income and expenditure is growing with every passing day and the failure of the State government to pay the subsidy due to the Board and the electricity bills have only complicated matters for the fund-starved organisation. [AT]

Blackout cloud on Northeast SHILLONG, May 26: The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation has threatened to discontinue power supply to all the seven states of the region from June 1 if dues to the tune of Rs 933.61 crore are not cleared by Wednesday. [TT]

NEEPCO reiterates threat on power cut

SHILLONG, May 26 (UNI): The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) today threatened the seven north-eastern States that power supply would either be regulated or if required suspended from next week if they did not clear their total dues of Rs 933.61 crore immediately. [S]

ASEB's power-cut warning to customers

GUWAHATI, May 29: The Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) has warned the people of the State to be prepared for massive power-cuts in view of the decision of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) to cut off its supplies to the Board from June 1 due to non-payment of dues amounting to Rs 623 crore. [AT]

Most NE states in the dark

JORHAT, June 1: The Gauhati High Court today passed an order restraining Neepco from implementing its decision to slash power supply to Assam which has defaulted in payment. However, most states experienced prolonged powercuts. [TT]

Settlement with NEEPCO reached, power supply to be normal

GUWAHATI, June 1: Power Minister Hitendra Nath Goswami today claimed that the issue of settling outstanding dues with the NEEPCO has been settled amicably even as the Gauhati High Court today barred the NEEPCO from resorting to any power cut to the State until further orders. [S]

NEEPCO restores power supply

GUWAHATI, June 2: North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO) has restored regular supply of power to all North-Eastern States with immediate effect in compliance with Gauhati High Court directive in this regard. [AT]

Resignations jolt NEEPCO

SHILLONG, June 8: Paralysed by an acute financial crisis, the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (Neepco) has suffered another jolt with two of its directors resigning from their posts. Sources told The Telegraph here today that finance director P.K. Chatterjee and technical director S.B. Dey resigned following "differences" with their superiors in the power corporation. [TT]

ASEB's staggering dues in Bokakhat

BOKAKHAT, June 8: The outstanding dues of various Government, semi-Government departments of Bokakhat subdivision to the ASEB is Rs 12,26,000 till April, 2000. The connection of the Irrigation Department was disconnected in 1998. The ASTC department has also been deprived of power supply recently. The pictures of the outstanding dues of the departments are: Irrigation - Rs 2,40,000, PHE - Rs 1,58,000, PWD - Rs 20,000, Medical - Rs 1,5,000, Town Committee - Rs 4,97,0000, Tourism - Rs 1,37,000, DFO - Rs 15,000, Sericulture - Rs 3,000, Soil Conservation - Rs 11,000, Veterinary - Rs 11,000, ASTC - Rs 14,000, Social Forest - Rs 35,000, Agriculture - Rs 100,000 and E&D - Rs 6,000. [S]

CTPS facing closure GUWAHATI, June 9 : Rs 300-crore Chandrapur Thermal Power Station (CTPS) of Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) is facing permanent closure unless the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is made to supply the fuel oil at a subsidised cost. [AT] A view of the Chandrapur Thermal Power Station which is facing closure. The Assam Tribune photo.

NEEPCO employees released

AIZAWL, June 14: Six employees of North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) abducted on March 31 by Manipur's Hmar People's Convention-Democrats (HPC-D) militants were released today unconditionally by their captors, Mizoram Home Minister Tawnluia said here, reports PTI. [AT]

HC directs State Govt, ASEB to pay NEEPCO

GUWAHATI, June 16: The Gauhati High Court today directed the Assam Government and Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) to pay the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) Rs 50 crore as electricity tariff, reports PTI. [AT]

Assam electricity board suffers 42 per cent power theft losses

GUWAHATI, July 14: Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) suffers from 42 percent transmission power theft losses and even if half of these losses are checked, the board's poor financial health will improve. [NED]

Biswanath reeling under pitch darkness

JAMUGURIHAT, Aug 7: The most alarming situation presently created both by the Biswanath-Chariali Town Committee and ASEB authority have led the common citizens to an indescribable situation, as for last 20 days all the street light have been kept suspended for non-payment of an outstanding due of an amount of nearly Rs 3 lakh. On the other hand, the ASEB authority has also cared little in the case of installation of new transformers in place of the old ones as in the town area poor voltage and irregular supply of power have become continuous features, throwing the consumers to endless difficulty. Alleged power thefts have been encouraged by a section of ASEB employees which has also practically destroyed the transformers making the transformers overloaded in comparison to its capacity. [S]

Blasts at ASEB towers rock Tihu

TIHU, Aug 11: Two powerful bombs were exploded by some suspected militant outfits as part of pre-Independence Day sabotage in the Salakati-Rangiya section of the 132 kV high tension powerline towers of the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) near the Madhupur Natun Chuba, under the Tihu PS, around 10.45 pm yesterday damaging the transformer and the four posts holding it.
Our Tezpur Correspondent adds: Atleast one person was severly injured when a powerful bomb exploded at the residence of the self-styled Eminaul Basumatary alias Erackdow, NDFB finance secretary, at around 1.30 am on Friday at Kerabasti No. 2 Naharani grand village under Rangapara police station in Sonitpur district, informs Sri Khobir Ahmed, SP, Sonitpur. Sources said the self-styled NDFB activist is absconding while the injured have been identified as Smt. Sara Basumatary (70) mother of the self-styled. [AT]

Power thefts on rise at Lumding

LUMDING, Sept 6: Irregular power supply in Lumding has become a regular feature. The prolong power-cuts load-shedding and fault in the main line have compounded the situation. Power supply to the adjacent village areas of Lumding remains a distance dream. [AT]

Students gherao Udalguri ASEB office for poor service

UDALGURI, Sept 7: The Udalguri Regional Students' Union (an AASU unit) gheraoed the Assam State Electricity Board office here on August 29 last alleging utter failure of the Board in meeting the consumers' problems. More than 300 students under the banner of AASU's Udalguri regional unit went to the ASEB office in front of Udalguri police statio with banners and playcards in the their hands. They shouted slogans against the inaction of the ASEB authority in solving the consumers' grievances. [AT]

ASEB experts' hand in conductor theft alleged

GUWAHATI, Sept 10: The fund-starved Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) has had to face the loss of Rs 1.57 crore due to the theft of conductors from its powerlines in different districts between January and June 30 this year. Disclosing this at a press conference here today, the Grahak Suraksha Santha (GSS) president Prof. Deven Dutta alleged that the stealing of conductors from the powerlines is being carried out by a circle in connivance with the technical experts of the ASEB. Unless the ASEB technical experts help, no one will dare to steal the conductors, Prof. Dutta pointed out. [S]

120-hr 'oil blockade' from today

GUWAHATI, Sept 10: The proposed 120-hour oil blockade programme of the Dibrugarh District Students' Union from September 11, will affect transportation of crude oil to the five refineries at Digboi, Guwahati, Numaligarh, Bongaigaon and Barauni and gas supply to the Assam State Electricity Board and NEEPCO power plants and the HFCL's fertilizer plants, besides crude oil and gas production of the Oil India Ltd, said an OIL press release here yesterday. [AT]

Temperature soaring, city residents suffer as power plays truant

GUWAHATI, Sept 13: City residents today had a harrowing time -- squeezed between soaring temperatures on one side and frequent loadsheddings from ASEB on the other. The temperature recorded at 34.4 at around 3 p.m. today with a high humidity level of 76 per cent made it highly-uncomfortable for staying indoors either in someone's home or in an office from around noon time today. Power supply snapped on and off throughout the day making residents scurrying for hand-made fans and in search of a cooler spot inside their houses. [AT]

NEEPCO, Brahmaputra Board submitted contradictory reports, says Minister

IMPHAL, Sept 21: The comprehensive reports submitted by the Brahmaputra Board and NEEPCO in connection with the proposed construction of the Tipaimukh dam in Churachandpur district of the state have two different findings. Disclosing this to a local cable network Seen TV, the Power Minister, Gobindas Konthoujam said that previously the survey report of the Brahmaputra Board had stated that the proposed Tipaimukh dam would inundate 35 villages, submerge hundreds of acres of cultivable land and seriously affect the fauna and flora of the region. However, a review survey conducted by NEEPCO revealed that the findings of the Brahmaputra Board were grossly exaggerated and did not present the true picture, he said. As per the report and findings of NEEPCO the number of villages to be inundated would be no more than six. [AT]

Businessmen ransack ASEB office DIBRUGARH, Sept 30: A group of irate businessmen ransacked the city office of ASEB, to protest non-repair of an electrical transformer since the last three days. Five businessmen were picked up for rioting. But they were later released. [AT]

Dibrugarh district reeling under loadshedding

DIBRUGARH, Oct 22: Gross mismanagement of the electrical distribution network in the city has led to frequent power breakdowns here, causing considerable harassment to citizens. While a daily, hour-long load shedding in all the localities of the city has become the routine in the evenings, in the day-time too, electricity plays truant. It is ironic that while Dibrugarh district produces almost half of the power generated in the State, yet the district is forced to remain without electricity for hours. [AT]

Dhubri village still languishing in the dark ages

DHUBRI, Oct 28: Hazirhat a thickly populated village situated at a distance of about 10 km from the south bank subdivisional headquarter of Hatisingimari, is perhaps a curse of 21st century. There is no electricity, no water supply, no road, not even a footpath, no waterway as an approach for Hazirhat. [S]

Strike against Electricity Bill

GUWAHATI, Dec 12: In response to the nation-wide call, several associations of the Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) observed the 24-hour strike today. The strike call was given by the Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers to protest against the BJP-led government's move to introduce Electricity Bill 2000. [AT]

ASEB employees protesting against the proposed Electricity Bill on December 12 at the entrance of Bijulee Bhawan in Guwahati. The Assam Tribune photo.