Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Nov 4: With the Kashmir valley heading towards the cold winter, the Power Development Department has allegedly started massive curtailment in almost all districts including Srinagar. Even the metered areas are not being spared with the department going for power curtailment.
On Wednesday Early Times has received many complaints from all most all the districts of the valley including Srinagar city about the heavy power curtailment. "We are facing regular power cuts for past one week even when the area is fully metered," said a resident of Bemina. The problem intensifies in the evening and the area is completely blacked out for several hours," he added.
Norbag, Qamarwari people alleged that despite being a metered area, they are without round the clock power supply. The residents said the PDD officials had promised 24-hour power supply to the area while installing meters. "However, we are facing power cuts. This is sheer discrimination," the residents said. In Chanapora, Hyderpora, Rambagh, Sanatnager, people are also complaining about the unscheduled power cuts. "The massive power cuts has indicated that the winter would be harsh this winter," said Habib-ullah of , Hyderpora. The situation is not different in north Kashmir's Baramullah district. The complaints are pouring in from this town, including old town Baramullah, and other areas. "Even the metered colonies like Kanlibagh, Friends Colony, Noorbagh are being subjected to long power cuts," people complained.
"In our area there is no schedule for load-shedding and it is up to PDD employees to curtail the power and they exercise the curtailment option frequently," said Asim Mustafa of Baramullah
Sopore people alleged that, the unscheduled power cuts are a norm. The residents of Noorbagh, New Colony, Batpoora, Armpora, Khushal Mutu also complained about unprecedented power cuts.
However the power department says that that people are resorting to theft and hooking. "Even in posh colonies people resort to hooking creating problem in smooth supply of electricity," one of the official of the PDD told Early times. |
