Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Dec 26: Harash period of winter (Chilai-Kalan) has already made an entry with a dry note, but the PDD has irritated the common masses like anything, and the hollow slogans have just remained on papers and orders only.
According to reports, there are thousands of metered as well as non-metered consumers in the valley and they have accused the Power Development Department (PDD) for frequent power cuts.
"Due to frequent power cuts, people suffer a lot, even though many government and private companies have alleged that they are paying monthly tariffs on regular basis, and against that, they are not getting the requisite power supply as they were supposed to, said Mohammad Irshad of HMT Srinagar.
The residents of various areas from Kashmir valley including Shalteng HMT, Chanpora, Mirgund, Khaniyar, Ashmuqam, Bijhbehara in south Kashmir, Wadwan, Daharmul, Waterhail, Soibugh, many other villages of Beerwah thesil in central Kashmir's Budgam district, simultaneously Khowjabagh, Khanpora, Kanispora, Sopore, Oldtown and other upper reaches of Baramulla district where the people have alleged that the department concerned have failed to follow the schedule in letter and spirit.
In Baramulla, trader's federation registered protest today in main market Baramulla against the department, in which the members have alleged that the department is not following its recently declared curtailment schedule and subjecting them to long hours of unscheduled power cuts.
They said that, there are three power projects in north Kashmir which has a capacity to generate an electricity of 790 MW on daily basis but one fails to understand that why consumers are made to suffer.
Same is the case in Kupwara district where people have alleged that it is just the beginning. Most of the parts in border district of Kupwara have plunged into darkness owing to the erratic power supply. The consumers said they are facing acute power shortage and the unscheduled power supply had become a cause of great concern, especially students have become worst sufferers as they cannot prepare for some civil services and other competitive examinations.
However officials of the PDD said that the dry weather is a reason for unscheduled power cuts as electricity generation has gone down, adding we are trying hard to make people comfortable, but we are also helpless. |
