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| Residents rue frequent power cuts despite meters | | |
KUNAL SHRIVATSA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, June 27: As the city continues to reel under severe power crisis marked with frequent, long and unscheduled curtailments that too amidst unprecedented heat wave, the poor functioning of Power Development Department (PDD) and its lackadaisical approach towards the consumers has once again came to fore.
The tall claims of PDD of providing uninterrupted electricity supply to the consumers including domestic and commercial in case they agree to opt for electronic metering of their respective connections stand exposed as it failed miserably to keep its promise intact since the unscheduled power cuts and load shedding remained the order of the day.
Though initially when PDD introduced the electronic meters and some of the localities where they were installed fully, the department managed to supply uninterrupted power supply to these areas without hiccups.
But the PDD could not continue with its policy of providing uninterrupted power supply to those consumers who installed meters and with the passage of time the things are again back to square one thus the measure taken up the by the department came to an abrupt end.
Speaking to the Early Times, majority of the city residents sought a reply from the PDD as to why they are being deprived of regular power supply despite installing electronic meters, paying tariff bills without fail and on time.
They say why the common man is made to suffer for the follies of PDD. Some of the people alleged that the power in return of metering was nothing but a ploy of the department to entice the public in making them ready to install electronic meters at their residences or business establishments.
"At the time of installing electronic meters, the PDD authorities made huge promises and kept on saying that you pay the bills as per the meter readings and in return we will ensure 24-hour power supply" alleged Prabha Gupta of Roop Nagar Housing Colony.
She rued the fact that the PDD backtracked from its promise of supplying uninterrupted power supply within months of installing the meters.
"Given the assurance, we happily let the PDD to install meters as we had high hopes that now onwards our power woes will be resolved. But even after having meters where is the power?" laments Prabha.
The PDD increases the frequency of power curtailments in summer season and this year being no exception either.
Cuts ranging between 10 to 12 hours and sometimes more under the present hot and humid climatic conditions have made the life of people as pitiable.
"Our life has become miserable as frequent power cuts in this scorching heat give us a hard time. Curtailment is a source of nuisance for all as it throws life out of gear particularly when the mercury is hovering between 40 to 45 degrees Celsius," said Sanjeev Sharma of Patoli adding "Power cuts of more than 10 hours are agonizing especially for children as it is very difficult for them to tolerate such a hot weather. With no fans, coolers or air conditioners it is next to impossible to beat the heat.
In the absence of electricity, even the inverters do not work properly as their batteries discharge rapidly as they could not be charged to their optimum level."
"Metering or no metering, the power scenario in the city remains the same. Though PDD officials assured of smooth and uninterrupted power supply but it turned out to be a false promise only to befool us. After a day long work, when one comes back home, he or she needs rest but thanks to the erratic power supply, we get only sleepless nights," regretted Sanjeev.
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