Valley people still without electricity

 By MALUM NALU

ARONA Valley landowners in Eastern Highlands are so near and yet so far from an electricity supply.

They do not have any power supply despite being right next to the PNG Power’s Yonki hydro-electricity project.

Arona Valley Development Authority (AVDA) chairman, Rodney Marato confirmed many villages around Yonki still had to be connected to power.

“Power lines have not gone into all surrounding villages,” he said.

“There is power going into some selected areas but the majority of Arona Valley people don’t have power.

“This is part of the original commitment by the company. We have talked about this over and over again.

“PNG Power Limited says it will put power but nothing has happened.

“Around the lake at Yonki, only a small number of people have power.”

The Arona Valley stretches from the top of Kassam Pass, along the Highlands Highway to the hills overlooking Yonki.

“PNG Power Limited agreed to supply power but it has not been actually implemented,” Marato said.

“We reminded them many times as the board of Arona Valley Development Authority, but nothing has been done.”