Amid harsh winter, power woes haunt people

Amid harsh winter power woes have returned to haunt people across Kashmir Valley, while as Srinagar city remains as the worst hit.
The reports from different areas said the unscheduled power cuts have grown severe for the past one week, giving tough time to people, especially during morning and evening hours.
There are scores of areas where people have not seen their bulb getting lit from past week.
From past many days locals from different areas of Srinagar city have informed local newsgathering agency  CNS, that Power Development Department is not only resorting to forced cuts but did not at all bother to supply electricity for days together. Reports said that the non-availability of electricity in areas like Jawahar Nagar, Ikhraj Pora, Mehjoor Nagar, Padshahi Bagh, Natipora, Rambagh, Sonawar, Rajbagh, Shivpora, Chanapora, Solina, Batamaloo and other areas have been irking people while at many places locals told CNS that they are mulling to stage massive protests against PDD.
The situation is no different in scores of areas in old city where the pesky power cuts are given tough time to people. Reports said that PDD has been resorting either to forced cuts or even didn’t care to supply electricity to hours together in areas like Khanyar, Nowhata, Gojwara, Rahbab Sahib, Tujgari Mohalla, Kawdara, Safakadal and other areas of the old City.
Residents of Mehjoor Nagar said that every day the locals find themselves in complete darkness. “From last four days, the electricity is nowhere in sight. We have been paying our bills in time and still not getting the electricity,” Firdous Ahmed a resident said and appealed the concerned MLA to look into the matter.
Same complaints poured in from people from different town and district headquarters. People in both South and North Kashmir are up in arms against the Power Development Department.
People complained the situation is alike in both metered and non-metered areas. “For the past two days, the authorities have been resorting to distress power cuts in our locality. It is highly unfortunate that the PDD doesn’t ensure regular power supply,” said Muneeb Ahmed of Kadipora area in South Kashmir’s Islamabad district adding that they fail to understand why the authorities are not sticking to any schedule.
In South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, people are up in arms against the Power Development Department (PDD) for its “failure” to provide uninterrupted power supply to its areas since last week.
“There has been no let up in the situation,” a delegation from different villages including Reidwani, Qaimou, Bogam and Khudwani said.
Given the devastation caused by floods, the victims said they are unable to procure fuel stocks from open markets.
“Given the enormity of losses we suffered in floods, one is unable to spend on cooking gas. Power supply could have compensated this as one could at atleast prepare food in rice cooker. But every time we switch on the rice cooker, the food gets spoiled due to erratic power supply,” complained a flood victim.
in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, people at scores of places took to roads and staged protest against PDD. At Wangipora Sumbal in Bandipora district, hundreds of people blocked the traffic and demanded restoration of electric supply in the area.
The electricity shortage has also hit businesses and those connected with the tourism industry in Kashmir.
“The way PDD is acting makes it clear that in coming days Kashmir valley will witness frequent protest against Power Development Department,” a trader Abdul Samad told CNS.
Chief Engineer Power Development Department Bashir Ahmed Khan admitted that the power supply remained affected in the past few weeks. He told CNS that frequent use of electric gadgets like heaters and boilers has been taking toll on the department. “We have started a drive against those who make frequent use of heaters and other electric gadgets and in coming days we are going to publish an advertisement making people aware about the ground reality,” Khan said adding that PDD has been supplying 11,500 megawatts of electricity in Kashmir.