#PowerCrices – Dark days ahead as PDD frames power curtailment schedule
Metered areas to witness daily 4 hrs power cuts, Non-metered areas to 8 hr
Adding to woes of people who are already facing unscheduled long power cuts, the Power Development Department (PDD) has framed power curtailment schedule and decided to resort to daily power cuts of eight hours in metered areas and four hours in non metered areas.
Sources told Kashmir Post that even though the curtailment of electricity would vary from one grid station to another, however, on an average there would be seven to eight hours power cuts in non-metered areas, while metered areas would witness 3-4 hours power cuts every day.
“Besides, there will also be evening power curtailment for at least two to three days a week,” they said.
According to sources, the power curtailment schedule would be made public in next few days.
People across the Valley have been complaining that ever since the Durbar moved to Jammu, the electricity has been playing hide-and-seek due to unscheduled power cuts. The recent snowfall added to the power woes.
In most parts of the valley, people are already facing more than five to six hours of power cuts in a day.
The PDD has come under severe criticism for resorting to unscheduled power cuts, causing grave hardships to people in the Valley.
Since last one month, people in many areas of the Valley have held protest against the PDD for resorting to pesky power cuts.
Sources in PDD said the Valley is facing 45 percent electricity shortfall.
“As against the requirement of 2100 MWs of electricity, the Valley is receving only 1300 MWs to meet the power demand. There is 45 per cent shortfall between the demand and supply. And for this reason, we will be resorting to power cuts,” they said.
Chief Engineer PDD Kashmir, Hashmat Qazi told Kashmir Post that the department is doing to its best to provide uninterrupted power supply to consumers.
“If people cooperate and utilise the electricity in a more appropriate way then I can assure you that there will be no curtailment,” he said.
On October 15, Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam had directed the PDD to ensure that there is no power problem in Kashmir during the winters.
He had said there were clear instructions from the Governor that the consumers should not be put to any inconvenience because of unscheduled power cuts during the winters.
