Development

Ahead of ‘Chillai Kalan’, winter blues irk people, PDD’s curtailment schedule may be worse

Srinagar: Ahead of the harsh winters, the winter blues have started haunting Kashmiris. From rural pockets to urban parts, people have started hitting the roads over the inadequate electric supply. In some areas the transformers are damaged and people have no clue when the concerned department would repair them.

“All the governments over the time have failed to address this issue. If this project and that power project have been started, who gets the electricity? Surely not the people of J&K. The present PDP government which was advocating too much to bring back the power projects from NHPC is now mum over it,” said Shabir Ahmed, a University student.

As Weather Department predicts harsher weather, the much needed electricity supply is getting worse. And there is no good news from the Power Development Department (PDD).

According to PDD officials, the curtailment schedule will continue to remain the same even in the harshest phase of winters which is set to begin from December 21.

“There will be curtailment of 8 hours in non-metered areas and 4 hours in metered areas,” says PDD Chief Engineer.

According to the Chief Engineer they have the supply of 1250 MW and the demand is 1700MW. The officials in PDD said that the only solution to electricity crisis in the state, especially in the Kashmir valley, is that people start using electricity judiciously.

“The prevailing curtailment schedule might get worse as soon the harsh winters set in, people would use more heating appliances that would in turn lead to more power crisis,” the officials said.

According to latest reports in various sections of media, the protests over the unwarranted curtailments, are gaining momentum-with every passing day.

“We fail to understand where the electricity goes. Every now and then, we see ministers inaugurating this and that power project, where is that electricity? There is no improvement in the power supply. It was the same what we used to get ten years ago,” said Ghulam Nabi, a local.

(With inputs from KNS)

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