Development

Are Industries in Kashmir on the brink of closure because of PDD? FCIK says they are.

‘Industrial feeders casually manned by unprofessional switch board assistants’ 

‘Power crisis wouldn’t be dismal had PDD taken timely action to restore damaged towers on Kishenpore-Pampore line’

The unscheduled power cuts to Industrial Estates of the valley have brought the Kashmir Industry to the brink of closure. The sector which was already under stress due to varied reasons, is being pushed to the wall by unscheduled power cuts, even during the routine working hours.

The Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK), an apex organisation of over 100 associations, has said that the augmentation of power infrastructure to the organised industrial sector of the state and the demand of a dedicated 33kv circuit for the purpose has been ignored by the Power Development Department (PDD).

The FCIK has said that the bosses in the PDD have ‘failed to understand the importance of industry in the modern day economy of the state and that’s why power supply to industry is not being taken seriously by them, and the designated industrial feeders emanating from different grid stations and receiving stations are casually manned by unprofessional switch board assistants.

In the statement, FCIK requested the PDD to sensitize itself and understand the importance of uninterrupted quality power supply to the organised industrial sector of the valley and refrain from snapping the power supply to industry in a casual manner.

“The power crisis in the valley wouldn’t be dismal had the department taken timely action to restore the damaged transmission towers on Kishenpore-Pampore line,” the statement said. “The power infrastructure of the valley has been ignored as the handling capacity of the sector has not been enhanced resulting in the present day power crisis.”

The points were raised during the administrative council meeting of FCIK presided over by the President Mr. Mohammad Ashraf Mir and held at FCIK House, Sanat Nagar, on November 22, 2017.

It is pertinent to note here that the chief Engineer PDD had earlier said that ‘There will be curtailment of 8 hours in non-metered areas and 4 hours in metered areas”. According to the Chief Engineer they have the supply of 1250 MW and the demand is 1700MW.

The officials in PDD had said that the only solution to electricity crisis in the state, especially in the Kashmir valley, is that people start using electricity judiciously.

The common people have their own woes. “Frequent power cuts have made the situation miserable for us. Despite the fact that we have been paying regular bills, we are left to suffer amid freezing cold,” said Habibullah, a resident of Bemina.

With issues compounding for the Industries, many in the sector say they face imminent closure if this continues.

FCIK has made a request to the finance minister to look into the matter of arears of the sick industry, a special mention of which was made in the current year budget speech. “The modalities of payments to sick industry matter needs special attention of the concerned quarters as the exercise for the New Year’s budget are already afoot,” the statement by FCIK said.

 

Click to comment
To Top