Srinagar- Frequent disruptions in the power supply in Kashmir valley have posed a substantial risk to the lives of patients reliant on life support systems. Patients, particularly those with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) find themselves struggling for oxygen during prolonged power outages.
In Srinagar’s Alamgari Bazar, 85-year-old Ghulam Muhammad Mir lies in his bed wearing a snug oxygen mask—a lifeline in his battle against persistent respiratory challenges. Ghulam Muhammad has COPD and asthma that makes him dependent on artificial oxygen to breathe.
Sami Mir, his son, a Kashmiri businessman based in Chennai, had cut his trip to take care of his ailing father in Srinagar. However, the power situation in Kashmir has greatly affected his morale.
“My father has COPD, and his lungs are damaged. I cannot afford to sleep; I stay awake all night to check if the electricity is out,” Sami said, adding, “If the oxygen machine goes off, he will die.”
“Kashmir is not the only place which is cold in winter, there are other places in India which remain cold but why is Kashmir facing an electricity crisis like this?” Sami questioned the government.
Sami emphasized the need for stringent measures against electricity theft while advocating for the provision of ample electricity to law-abiding citizens.
“We have always paid the electricity bills on time. How is it justified that my father will die due to lack of power supply,” he said.
“Those abiding by the laws and paying electricity dues should not suffer because of people who survive on power thefts. I can’t afford to lose my father to a man-made crisis,” he added.
Akin to Ghulam Muhammad, Zooni Begum, an asthma patient from Mir Behri Dal needs machine-made oxygen to help her breathe. Despite having an oxygen concentrator at home, Zooni’s family is compelled to purchase oxygen cylinders due to frequent power cuts. The interruptions in electricity supply disrupt the continuous operation of the concentrator, leading to the need for an alternative oxygen source.
“Even with the presence of an oxygen concentrator at our disposal, we maintain a reserve of three oxygen cylinders,” Wahid Hussain, Zooni’s son said.
“My mother is a widow and we struggle to make ends meet. We had managed to buy a concentrator with difficulty, but the power outages have made it worse for us,” Wahid, a carpenter, added. “We are forced to endure additional expenses due to the unpredictability of electricity supply in our area.”
When asked about the possibility of using inverters as an alternative, both families mentioned that oxygen concentrators do not operate efficiently with a single battery inverter. “These concentrators typically run for a limited duration of 20-40 minutes before draining the battery entirely. It becomes impractical to opt for a double battery as it becomes expensive and unreliable due to frequent power interruptions,” Wahid said.
Consequently, COPD patients, if financially able, rely on generators or oxygen cylinders as alternatives for a consistent oxygen supply.
Notably, Kashmir has a high prevalence of COPD at (17.3%) and an increasing population of these patients requires long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT). According to a 2018 study that examined the contribution of chronic respiratory diseases to the deaths and disabilities in India, found J&K to be among the top four states with a growing prevalence of COPD. It indicated that, in J&K, over 4,750 people per lakh (100,000) population suffer from COPD.
The power crisis in Kashmir has highlighted the urgent need for authorities to address the electricity supply issues before the onset of winter each year. Pertinently, Kashmir valley is experiencing a heightened demand for oxygen cylinders this winter – a surge linked to an uptick in pulmonary issues among its residents.
SRO Kashmir Foundation, an NGO based in Srinagar dedicated to addressing pulmonary needs, has reported a substantial rise in the demand for oxygen throughout the valley.
Javed Ahmad Dar, the Chairperson of SRO Kashmir Foundation, told Kashmir Observer that a large number of patients are flocking to the NGO’s office in Batamaloo seeking oxygen cylinders and other essential medical equipment.
“We have a stock of around 850 oxygen cylinders and we would refill them once a week as part of our routine. However, with the onset of winter, there has been a drastic change and now the need to refill cylinders on a daily basis has become imperative.” Javed said.
Meanwhile, Mehbooba Mufti, President People’s Democratic Party (PDP) took to X to take a dig at the government on the power crisis which, according to her, is putting the lives of COPD patients at risk.
“Hundreds of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients, dependent on long-term oxygen therapy during winters, are gasping for oxygen in Kashmir due to prolonged and unprecedented electricity cuts, owing to poor planning to procure electricity ahead of winters this year.” Mehbooba tweeted.
Earlier this month, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha met Union Power Minister R K Singh in New Delhi and requested him to allocate additional electricity to Jammu and Kashmir to meet the rising power supply demand in winter.
The LG also informed the Minister that the current demand of electricity has touched around 2800 MW with a deficit of approximately 1400 MW in the current winter season. Assuring full support to the LG, the Power Minister said that 1500 MWs have already been allocated to J&K while additional 472 MWs of electricity under Shakti policy will be given to J&K after signing of Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) by the end December 2023.
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