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| Power crisis worsens in Kashmir, people taking to roads in protest Bashir Assad | | |
Srinagar, Nov18: With the early onset of winter, the power scenario in Kashmir has further worsened and the new power curtailment schedule announced by the Power Development Department (PDD) is causing miseries to the people. The PDD has come up with new curtailment schedule in which the frequency of power cuts in metered as well as non-metered areas have been increased.
Non metered areas will reel under more darkness this winter as there will be 57 hours of power cuts while in the metered areas it will be for 17 hours. However, the scheduled and unscheduled power cuts has hit Kashmir as most parts of the Valley reel under severe electricity shortage with no indication of improvement in the near future. Officials said the power distribution system in Kashmir is under tremendous stress due to overload. While common consumers including the students are bearing the brunt of the unscheduled power cuts, the crisis has hit the traders the most, especially those associated with tourism.
The consumers from metered areas allege that Power Development Department (PDD) is taking them for a ride. They allege that meters were installed by PDD with the promise that the consumers in metered areas will get round the clock electricity, but the unscheduled power cuts are adding to their miseries.
The consumers allege that the situation has gone from bad to worse during the past few weeks. They added that power cuts are more frequent and extended during the evening hours.
The situation in the rural areas is far worse and most of the villages and townships don't get electricity for days together. Irked by the frequent power cuts, the people have started taking to streets to protest against the power shortage. Chief Engineer PDD, Bashir Ahmed Khan, however, said the new schedule will be implemented in letter and spirit.
"The curtailment hours in such areas could be reduced where it is observed that there is a reduction in AT&C losses. People will get electricity as per schedule and there will no change in it," the CE said.
Chief Engineer admitted that power crisis has started hitting Kashmir. He said the system is heavily overloaded load. "11,000 MW are being consumed in Kashmir," he said adding that this is the highest consumption.
Khan added that improvement depends on the power usage by consumers. "The department will start inspection but at the same time people must not misuse power," he said adding that PDD will make every effort for betterment of power supply.
Meanwhile Kashmir Economic Alliance Chairman, Muhammad Yaseen Khan called it "schedule without any schedule."
"People of Kashmir are paying electricity dues properly and in time, and yet Valley is reeling under darkness. Government had promised it would supply uninterrupted electricity to metered areas but the new schedule has proved all these promises are hoax," Mr Khan said.
He warned that if Power Development Department did not change its schedule and supply uninterrupted electricity to the metered areas, then the business community will take to roads. |
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