Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph has said that the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) must become more people-centric by ensuring time-bound resolution of power supply issues.
Presiding over a special review meeting at the Kottarakkara Vaidyuthi Bhavan to evaluate KSEB operations in the Kollam and Pathanamthitta regions, the Minister issued several directives to improve operational efficiency and strengthen monsoon preparedness. As part of these efforts, he instructed that the WhatsApp groups formed to address power outages must be made more active and responsive to public complaints. Furthermore, the Minister added that tree-cutting committees formed for pre-monsoon maintenance must function more efficiently, and special coordination meetings should be held at the constituency, panchayat, and ward levels to heighten local vigilance.
The meeting addressed a wide range of infrastructure and administrative demands unique to various constituencies in the region. There were strong calls to secure a dedicated KSEB office building in Karunagappally and to resolve the ongoing shortage of field staff. Additionally, local representatives demanded the establishment of a new electrical section centered in West Kallada and new substations in Chadayamangalam, East Kallada (110 kV), Mayyanad-Thanni, and near the Punalur Paper Mill.
Major upgrades
The meeting also highlighted the need for major upgrades, including elevating the Sasthamkotta substation to 220 kV, urgently completing the pending works at the Thevalakkara and Nilakkal substations, and renovating the existing Konni substation to better serve the Sabarimala-Konni zone.
Mr. Joseph approved several proposals aimed at public welfare and resolving local grievances. He agreed to address the staff shortages plaguing various offices across Kollam and Pathanamthitta to ensure smoother operations. Immediate directives were issued to restore power connections to various schools where supply had been disconnected due to ongoing highway construction. He said the department will consider granting electricity connections to residents living on KIP Canal puramboke lands and smart meters will be provided to solar power project consumers to streamline renewable energy integration.
Addressing public safety and regulatory hurdles, the Minister ordered that trenches dug for laying power cables along the National Highway in the Eravipuram constituency be covered immediately to prevent accidents. He also promised to look into and resolve the practical difficulties arising from a recent Electricity Directorate circular, which stipulated that street lights could only be installed on streets that have official names and numbers.
MLAs C.R. Mahesh, Jyothikumar Chamakkala, Vishnu Mohan, M.M. Naseer, Kollam district panchayat president R. Latha Devi and Pathanamthitta district panchayat president Deenamma Roy were also present.
Published – June 16, 2026 06:17 pm IST
