Shiyal Bet to get electricity through 6 km undersea cable

Ahmedabad, 17 December 2013

Shiyal Bet island located off Pipavav coast in Amreli district of Gujarat is the only place in Gujarat without electricity. Surrounded by sea in all direction, Shiyal Bet is now all set to get electricity probably by middle of next year. The state government arm Pashchim Gujarat Vij Company Limited (PGVCL) has awarded the tender for laying the 6-km long underwater cable to supply electricity to Shiyal Bet island on turnkey basis. Rs. 18 crore task of laying the cables in high density polyethylene pipes on seabed, installation of transformers, transmission and feeder lines and 500-2000 power connections etc is likely to be completed in six months. After completion of this task, there will be no place inhabited by humans in Gujarat that is without electricity.

Shiyal Bet sarpanch Sitharbhai Jodhabhai Balathia expressed pleasure over this development. However he was still in doubt whether the work will be started and completed as per the target or not. He was in doubt because in the past on two occasions, the work failed to kick off even after tendering process. Sitharbhai said Shiyal bet has over 9,000 population, of which 90% are fishermen and 10% do some farming. He said people on bet survive with kerosene lamps, solar panel operated lights and diesel generator operated other equipments. Sitharbhai said, on earlier occasion electricity supply project failed to materialize due to objection by Pipavav port which is located at 1.5 km distance from Shiyal bet.However this time the government has decided to lay cable from Chanch island of Bhavnagar district which is located 6 km away from Shiyal.