Durbar yet to leave, power-cuts arrive

1 min read
Power

Srinagar, Oct 18: Ahead shifting of Durbar to Jammu, people in Kashmir have been facing abrupt power cuts without any schedule by the Power Development Department (PDD).
The Civil Secretariat will close on October 26 and the concerned offices will open in Jammu in the first week of November. Even though all the government authorities are still in Kashmir, power woes are causing immense inconvenience to the general public.
“We face power cuts at least 15 times in a day. We don’t know when the electricity will go off,” said Irshad Ahmad, who resides near Bone and Joint Hospital Barzulla.
His area is a metered area and is bound to get 24×7 electricity as per the rules.
“For the last one week, the power scenario is deteriorating with each passing day without any power schedule,” he said.
The government has not issued any power curtailment schedule.
Nisar Ahmad, a resident of Sanat Nagar, said that they face power outrages 10 times in a day. “We face power cuts mostly during morning and evening hours,” he said, whose area is also a metered area.
The situation is almost same in other metered areas like Rajbagh, Shalimar, and Habak, where the residents too face abrupt power cuts.
The situation is grim in non-metered areas. “We face five to six-hour power cuts in a day,” Shabir Ahmad, a resident of Shireen Bagh Karanagar, said.
“Our children are not able to prepare for the exams due to power cuts in the evening hours. They have to study under candle light and lanterns,” he said.
Asif Ahmad, a resident of Safakadal, said they witness frequent power cuts from the last one week.
“There are at least 20 power cuts of eight hours in a day. We don’t know when the power supply will remain on and off,” Asif said. “Every year we are assured of better power supply but the situation instead worsens,” he added.
The residents of main town Baramulla said the unscheduled power cuts have made their lives “miserable”. “We approached PDD officials many times, but to no avail,” Basit Khan, a local resident, said.
In south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, consumers of Dilagam, Kadipora, Mattan, and main town have complained that they face unscheduled power outages thrice a day.
Residents of Wudwun Budgam also complained of abrupt power cuts. “During the evening hours, the electricity mostly remains off,” said Sharif Bhat, a local resident.
While Hashmat Qazi, Chief Engineer, PDD Kashmir, said that overloading was causing power cuts. “Wherever there is overloading, there will be power cuts,” Qazi said, adding that PDD will not issue power curtailment schedule in this month.
The Chief Engineer said that Kashmir was short of around 700 MWs of electricity. “We have 1300 MWs power available that is being provided to people against the requirement of 2000 MWs,” he added.

Discover more from The Kashmir Monitor

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Don't Miss

ggg

Paradise calling: New survey says Kashmir most sought-after destination for solo traveling

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir is one of the most sought-after destinations for
JAMMU AND KASHMIR GOVT

`Dignity of labor’: ‘Multitasking staff’ replaces ‘Class IV employee’, ‘Sanitation worker’ replaces ‘Sweeper’

Srinagar, March 29: Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday changed the nomenclature