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| Despite MOU in place KPDCL not providing round the clock powersupply to university campus | | Research takes a hit at KU as power goes off on regular basis | | Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Mar 2: The research activities at the University of Kashmir have been badly affected since the power supply at the university campus goes off on frequent basis and the researchers are left high and dry.
Early Times has learnt from sources that most of the research activities being carried out at the campus of University of Kashmir are very much dependent on round the clock power supply. They said that disruption in power supply negates all the good work done by the researchers and they have to start afresh once the power goes off.
“For most of the research work at the university it is important that there is no disruption in the power supply.
In most of the cases the researchers programme the experiments through scientific equipments in such a manner that it does not need any human intervention, but it is important that round the clock power supply is there,” said sources.
Sources said that since power supply goes off on frequent basis the experiments have to be restarted and the hard work put in by the researchers gets wasted. They said the matter was raised by the students and researchers many times in the past, but no action was taken by the concerned officials. “All the universities are treated as essential services and as such it is imperative that round the clock power supply is available at the university campus. But at the campus of University of Kashmir no such procedure is followed and there is no accountability with regards to the power supply at the campus,” said sources.
Sources said that in 2007 the University of Kashmir handed over a plot of land measuring one and half kanals to then Power Development Department (now Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL)) at Naseem Bagh for the construction of receiving station. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in this regard and it was decided a dedicated line would be given to University of Kashmir.
“Under the memorandum of understanding it was also decided that free power supply would be given to University of Kashmir for two years. The University of Kashmir did not receive any amount from the power department and in lieu of the same it was decided that round the clock power supply would be ensured,” said sources.
Sources said that for the past four years the power department has backtracked from its commitment and no round the clock power supply is given to University of Kashmir. They said that the university as on date pays Rs 26 lakh as electricity fee on an average per month during the winter season.
Sources said that during the summer season the university pays Rs 15 lakh as electricity fee on an average towards the power department. They said the university suffers loss in crores since the equipments used for research become out of order due to the frequent disturbances in power supply.
The researchers have demanded that KPDCL should honour its commitment and provide round the clock power supply to the University of Kashmir. They have urged Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu to intervene in the matter and get the things sort out. |
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