Infrastructure

After Durbar Move, Kashmir faces severe power cuts, residents complain

Representational Image.

Srinagar: Since the shifting of Durbar, Kashmir has been facing prolonged power cuts, bringing inconvenience to people amid cold weather, Kashmir News Service (KNS) reported.

The Civil Secretariat closed on October 26 and Move offices opened in Jammu in first week of November.

“We face power cuts at least 15 times in a day. We don’t know when the electricity will go off,” Irshad Ahmad, who resides near SMHS Karanagar, told KNS. 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.

Irshad Ahmad, a resident of Sanatnagar, 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, Natipora, Batamaloo, Bemina and Habak, where the residents too face abrupt power cuts.

The situation is grim in non-metered areas. “We face 10-hour power cuts in a day,” Shabir Ahmad, a resident of Shireen Bagh Karanagar, was quoted by KNS as having 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.

A senior PDD official said that overloading was causing power cuts. “Wherever there is overloading, there will be power cuts,” he said.

The official 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.

(with inputs from KNS)

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