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| Deteriorating Electric power scenario | | editorial | |
Electric power position was never satisfactory in J&K. Whether in
summer or in winter besides 6 to 7 hours scheduled curtailment of
power, the people are witness to frequent unscheduled power cuts at
any time of the day and night. But lately the position has further
deteriorated, with scheduled cuts extended to 8 hours, three hours in
the morning, two hours at noon and three hours in the evening. As if
the power maintenance and supply authorities are not content with this
regular cuts, there are frequent prolonged cuts at any time. All this
causes the customers a good deal of inconvenience and hardships.
Prolong cuts are restored not only to the domestic consumers, but also
in the industrial areas, where also regular continuous eight hour
supply for running a single shift of working is not ensured. As far
the supply of power to households and markets is concerned, the cuts
wee not spared even during the festival season. Even the Navratras,
when as per the official announcement, regular power curtailment was
suspended, there were frequent unscheduled power cuts. The things were
still worse during the holy month of Ramazan. While it was announced
that there will be no cuts around sahari and iftaar times, but in
Jammu only few localities, having Muslim majority, were spared three
hours evening cut. Here too the unscheduled cuts during the evening
were a common feature. While this has been the position during the
fair weather season, the things are feared to further deteriorate
during the incoming winter season, particularly in the Kashmir valley
these prolonged power cuts will cause untold sufferings to the people
at large, who shall have to pass the severe cold winter in dark and
without heating arrangements, with the wood and charcoal or any other
fuel required for heating already in acute short. As for industrial
sector is concerned, failure on the part of authorities to ensure
interruption free electric supply for a single shift of eight hours at
a stretch leads to great loss to the unit holders, whose labour
remains idol and machinery does not work at the optimum level. While
the government has been inviting the industrialists from outside the
state to invest in J&K and setup their units here, its inability to
ensure regular power supply to them proves a negative factor. The
industrial unit holders, particularly those in the small scale sector
complain of their having been cheated, since in the absence of regular
power supply they suffer heavy losses. The authorities have been only
showing rosy picture on power scenario for the future, while causing
distress and suffering to the people at present. Even the solemn
assurance held by the authorities that those consumers, who install
electronic power meters will not be subjected to power cuts has been
flouted. The areas where electronic meters have been installed too
complain of frequent power cuts. However, the authorities alone are
not to be blamed for this dismal picture. The consumers too have to
share the blame for not utilizing the power judiciously and observing
austerity in its consumption. The wastage of power, with all lights on
and even the use of heaters for cooking etc. by the consumers, who are
not metered, is a common feature.
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