The Kashmir Valley is experiencing an extreme cold over the past week with night temperature plunging to sub-zero. Srinagar witnessed the coldest night of the season as temperatures dipped to a low of minus 0.8 degrees Celsius on Sunday, marking a drop of nearly 2 degrees from the previous night’s 0.9 degrees. According to the meteorological department, this was 1.0 degree below the normal temperatures expected for this time of year in the capital city. The city has also been waking up to a thick blanket of fog that has significantly reduced visibility, causing disruptions in both pedestrian and vehicular movement during the morning hours. This foggy condition has extended across various parts of the Kashmir valley, affecting daily routines for several hours.
The drop in temperatures has brought about a familiar set of challenges, particularly with power supply issues. It’s unfortunate that this recurring problem hasn’t received the attention it deserves from the government, leaving the public to endure the consequences year after year. Unscheduled outages, surpassing the already announced curtailment schedules, have become an unwelcome norm, hitting households and industries hard.
The worsening power situation has also impacted the healthcare system, a lifeline for many. Hospitals, from government-run facilities to private institutions, reel under the weight of power scarcity, impeding critical medical procedures and endangering the lives of patients, especially those reliant on intensive care units and life-sustaining equipment. The vulnerability of rural healthcare facilities, grappling with erratic power supply, exacerbates the hardships faced by communities.
As for ordinary people, pushed to the edge, they are resorting to purchasing alternative power sources like inverters, bearing the brunt of additional financial strain. Yet, these makeshift solutions cannot replace the dire need for a reliable and sustainable power supply.
The demand for improvement is thus understandable, especially with Chillai Kalan approaching and the inevitability of harsher weather conditions. It’s essential for the Power Development Department to step up and better prepare for the upcoming challenges, especially considering its historical struggles in promptly restoring electricity after heavy snowfall.
Addressing the unfair implementation of power curtailment across different regions is crucial for ensuring that everyone is dealt with fairly during these difficult times. Hopefully, the government will take proactive steps to minimize the impact of the power shortage, acknowledging the hardship it brings to the lives of the people. Given the severity of the situation and its recurrent nature, it’s understandable for the public to hope for a more effective response from the authorities this time around. Here’s hoping that the government takes steps to make some redeeming difference to the situation.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
