Srinagar Power scenario in four districts of southern parts of Kashmir is dismal as most of the villages and towns in Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam hardly see electricity, especially during evening hours.
Almost 250 villages of twin Districts of Shopian and Kulgam gets only two hours of electricity in a day. These villages receive supply from Lundoora receiving station in Shopian. Each and everyone complain that there is no power being supplied to the consumers in south Kashmir.
Sohail khan, a 12th class student said poor supply of electricity is directly affecting studies of student community. Our exams are going on but the hide and seek of electricity distract us from our studies, he told Kashmir Wire
Sohail said I dont understand what the hell is going with Power Development Department (PDD) as after every five minutes the electricity disappears.
Echoing the remarks of Sohail, Gulam Mohd Malik (45), a resident of Ratnipora said that there is no accountability from the PDD department and there is no justification for them to raise bills on account of electricity which has not been provided by the department.
Meanwhile when Kashmir wire reporter approached Electricity Gadget shops in Shopian they said their businesses in terms of gensets, Inverters and even chargeable lamps has increased manifold.
Vikar Ahmad, an electric shop owner said that our business is going well as we used to sell less than 10 inverters per day but it has increased many fold.
In Anantnag, the power scenario underwent a sea change as the civil secretariat moved to Jammu for winter months. Soon after Durbar moved on October 28, most areas in district are reeling under darkness the residents of the main town of Anantnag, its outskirts and other villages are facing a tough time under darkness amid the growing cold.
Similar is the situation in most of the areas in district Kulgam, the electricity is giving nightmares to the general public. While some rural areas of the district Kulgam are receiving erratic power supply for most of the times, locals told Kashmir Wire.
The PDD is playing hide and seek with people, alleged villagers of Dilagam, Kadipora, Mattan, Krangsoo including main town Anantnag, People have to face prolonged power cuts everywhere, Khursheed Ahmad, a resident said said.
While common consumers including students from both districts of Anantnag and Kulgam are bearing the brunt of the unscheduled power cuts, the crisis has hit even the traders mostly. Pertinently, students of most of the classes in Kashmir are appearing in annual examinations nowadays, who really suffer from this shortage.
The residents of Anchidora, Anzawalla, Aang, Matipora, Nanil, and other areas of Dochni Pora of Anantnag said that meters were installed by PDD with the promise that the consumers in metered areas will get round the clock electricity but the unscheduled power cuts belied the promise.
We are paying commercial tariff but unfortunately PDD is resorting to unscheduled power cuts. If the problem persists we will be forced to take the extreme step of stopping payment of power dues. residents threatened.
The situation in hilly villages of Anantnag is worse with local residents having to reel in darkness for hours, he added.
They (PDD) dont even provide power for a day continuously, neither have they found alternative sources to feed consumers, an elderly shopkeeper said. (Kashmir Wire).
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