SYED ALI SAFVI
SRINAGAR, Nov 29: Even as the state government claims, ad nauseum, that it would provide uninterrupted power supply to the valley, frequent and long power cuts have only added to the woes of denizens of the valley.
Chief minister, Omar Abdullah, had on record said that the expeditious harnessing of hydel power potential of 20,000 MW would not only make J&K self-reliant, but it would also help to meet the power requirement of India. However, there is no denying the fact that the state power sector continues to be one of the most underdeveloped sectors in the state.
Come winter, Kashmiris not only have to bear intense cold, but have to experience frequent and long power cuts. The entire valley plunges into darkness, making life more miserable for denizens of the valley. Industrialists, hoteliers, student community, house boat owners, and news paper owners face the most brunt of the prolonged power cuts.Locals allege that there is a proper schedule of power cuts in place, but the concerned PDD employees have failed to adhere to that schedule.
“They (PDD employees) cut power supply according to their choice,” they said.
They also claim that the PDD employees at concerned grid stations are developing a knack of violating the power cut schedule.
“They provide power supply only to those areas where traders and industrialist grease heir palms,” locals said. “Sumbal Sonawari can serve a classic example of the hightening corruption tide in the department.”
Residents of Sumbal allege that areas like Nesbal, Wangipora, Asham, Anderkot Nogam, Batta Mohalla, Wangi Pora, Shilwath plunge into darkness as winter dusk sets in.
“Employees at local grid station, in complete violation of power cut schedule, provide power supply to other areas,” they said.
Similar complaints have been echoed by residents of civil line areas.
“Students, who have to appear in examinations, are worst sufferers as they face lot of hardships in wake of unscheduled and prolonged power cuts,” they said. “Children of affluent persons don’t face problems as they have inverter facility available; however, it is children of poor who suffer the most.”
Residents of north Kashmir and central Kashmir’s Budgam district also face similar problems.
The PDD has also resorted to heavy and unscheduled power curtailments in metered areas, contradicting the claims of regular power supply in metered areas by the government.
“Despite assurances by PDD of providing regular power supply in metered areas, the ground reality narrates a dismal tale of official apathy,” said Basheer Mir, a resident of Sanat Nagar. “Government is only making tall claims, but the ground reality is different.”
Pertinently, the state government had recently sough Rs 5, 851 crore assistance from New Delhi for implementing reforms programme in power sector and improving distribution and transmission system in the state.
However, according to senior PDD official, the state has not yet received “a single penny”.
Significantly, union minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah, had recently targeted New Delhi for denying completion of major power projects in the state.
“I had handed over seven major power projects to the Central government as the Chief Minister of the Jammu and Kashmir and it was assured that these projects would be completed within five years but none of the projects has been completed even after the lapse of 10 to 12 years,” Farooq had said. “Our tragedy is that the projects, which were to be completed in five years, had not been completed in 23 years. Salal project was 17 years behind schedule. Look at the escalation of cost from Rs 3000-5000 crore to many thousands of crores at the time when it is producing just 300 MW power.”
In the wake of government apathy, PDD employees’ callous attitude, the power scenario is unlikely to improve in the valley, at least in near future.
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