Srinagar: Much against the convention of deterioration in power supplies in Kashmir after Durbar moves to Jammu, this year the government has gone for early imposition of the energy curtailment in the restive Valley on the boil for around three months.
With this being the scene at the onset of autumn, the plight during harsh Himalayan winters can only be imagined when the seat of government shifts to Jammu.
While the power consumers in Kashmir have been witnessing sudden reduction in the supplies, officials confirmed about early curtailment, which has started a month ahead of the closure of Durbar offices in Srinagar.
Power Development Department (PDD) officials said apart from other districts, the new curtailment program has been put in place in the summer capital adding that supplies during winter could worsen.
Officials said apart from non-metered areas, which bear the brunt of curtailment, the metered areas are equally subjected to curtailments.
For non metered areas, including the densely populated old City or the Shaher-e-Khaas, the curtailment as of now includes, once a week evening curtailment from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, once a week daytime curtailment of five hours and once a week morning curtailment of five hours and once a week nightlong curtailment. Besides, every day, the areas witness some two to three hours of additional curtailment a day.
“This means on an average the non-metered areas are bearing around eight hours of curtailment a day,” the officials said.
The metered consumers on the other hand are bearing around 2-hour morning curtailment and similar scheduled cuts during afternoon and evenings.
Some senior PDD officials in the Civil Secretariat said it was for the first time in the past around two decades that the state government looks so unconcerned about the power supplies in the Valley. They said main reason was that the government has failed to hold requisite meeting to review power scenario in Kashmir ahead of winter.
“If coming events cause their shadows before, Kashmir is headed for power crises this winter,” said a group of officials.
The people of Kashmir on the other hand are up in arms over “pesky power cuts.”
A senior member of the Kashmir Centre For Social and Developmental Studies (KCSDS), a civil society group said it was mandatory for the government to make the curtailment schedule public. Quoting State Electricity Regulatory Commission guidelines, he said, the consumers cannot be kept in dark over curtailment they are subjected to.
The aggrieved consumers on the other hand are up in arms. “Government is resorting to revenge with the people of Kashmir and nothing else. It wants the people to suffer on all fronts, including power supplies… The evening curtailments in particular are aimed at facilitating police raids,” said Muhammad Iqbal of Nowhatta adding government has made lives of people miserable.
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