Early Times Report
Jammu, May 1: Even as oxygen concentrators run on electricity, the frequent shutdowns of power in Jammu have been allegedly risking the lives of such Covid patients undergoing treatment at home.
For the last few days, the power department has been formally announcing shutdowns of power in Jammu district for upgradation and repair work but allegedly “by risking human life.”
Due to shutdown, the power supply remains affected for at least four hours at a stretch. In the recent, the power shutdown was announced for almost entire Jammu district on April 30 and May 1.
The medical health experts said the shutdown should have been avoided in the wake of Covid second wave which has left scores of positive patients dependant on oxygen support system at their homes.
Given the fact that the oxygen support system works on electricity, the four hours of continued power shutdown left many the patients “gasping for oxygen.”
“How can the authorities be so insensitive towards the most sensitive need of oxygen? Couldn’t this power maintenance be postponed by a few weeks? What is more important, official schedule or human life?” questioned a medical doctor on the condition of anonymity.
The patients dependant on oxygen support at their homes expressed similar views. “This is inhuman on the part of the administration to resort to such power shutdown that risks human life. Common sense has not remained so common,” said one affected family.
The official handouts show that almost entire Jammu has been witnessing shutdowns prompting the locals to make fervent appeal to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Advisor Baseer Khan to personally look into the matter and to get such shutdowns postponed.
As per an official handout issued on April 29, “In order to carry out various upgradation/repair works, the power supply to Sector 7, 8, 9 of Trikuta Nagar, Secto 5, 6, 7 of Channi Himmat, Sector 4, Main Matador Stand, Dilli and its adjoining areas fed from JDA-5, CH-08, CH-04 and CH-01 feeders shall remain affected on May 01 from 10 am to 02 pm.”
“Similarly, the power supply to Sector 4, 5 of Trikuta Nagar, Vaishnavi Dham, Saraswati Dham, Kalika Dham, Lemon Tree Hotel, Sector 9, 5 of Nanak Nagar, Sector-4 Extension of Sanjay Nagar, Dhudhadhari Mandir area, Sanjay Nagar, Sector 1, 2 and Sector 9 Nanak Nagar and their adjoining areas fed from JDA-9, JDA-3, AN-04, AN-05 and NN-05 feeders shall remain affected on April 30 from 10 am to 02 pm,” the handout added.
“Likewise, the power supply to Mahesh Pura, Shopping Centre, Bakshi Nagar, Rehari, Sarwal, Ajeet Colony, Vijay Nagar and their adjoining areas fed from M-1, M-3 and TT-1 feeders shall remain affected on April 30 from 10 am to 02 pm.”
“Meanwhile, the power supply to Sarwal, Bakshi Nagar, Qasim Nagar and their adjoining areas fed from M-4 and M-8 feeders shall remain affected on May 01 from 10 am to 02 pm. Similarly, the power supply to Bakshi Nagar, Gurha More, Gurdwara and their adjoining areas fed from M-8 feeders shall remain affected on May 01, 03, 05 and 07 from 10 am to 02 pm.
Likewise, the official handout said, the power supply to Transport Nagar and its adjoining areas fed from TPN-05 feeder shall remain affected on April 30 from 10 am to 02 pm.
Meanwhile, the power supply to Nanak Nagar and adjoining areas fed from N-05 feeder shall remain affected on May 01 from 10 am to 02 pm. |
