The heavy snowfall on Friday has altered the nature of cold weather conditions in the Valley. From a dry, harsh cold that saw night temperatures plummeting to their record lows, we now have a wet cold, which although no less severe, is a little easier to deal with. It generally doesn’t lead to plumbing problems on a scale that the dry cold does. Snow has thus brought some redeeming change. For now, the temperature has slightly improved.
That said, this winter so far has been extremely harsh. In popular memory, the bone chilling cold and the recent heavy snowfall has come as a throwback to the storied old winters with their feared Chillai Kalans. It is after some years that one can witness the frozen water bodies and the long icicles hanging off the eaves.
The power situation has been a recurring problem. Although the snowfall didn’t result in any major blackout, the electricity supply leaves much to be desired. In many areas, the supply reduced to a trickle, with long unscheduled power cuts the order of the day. Both metered as well as unmetered areas have already been slapped with a load-shedding schedule. The people have hopelessly been waiting for the government to review the schedule, but this is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
The government is not in a position to buy around 500 MW more electricity to plug the shortall in the supply.. But it is incumbent on the government to ensure that the power supply at least adheres to the notified schedule to minimize the inconvenience to the people. In Kashmir, e;ectricity has now become a source of heating in winter.and people are ready to pay for the consumption. Just as it is not advisable to deny power to people in Jammu and Delhi during scorching summers, it is equally unjust not to do so in the cold regions such as Kashmir during winter. It is high time the government recognizes that uninterrupted power in winter is not a luxury for Kashmir but a lifeline.
Despite the attendant difficulties, the snowfall is a boon for Kashmir. For it draws more tourists to the region, giving a boost to the economy. As winters grow harsher, the onus lies on the administration to address recurring issues such as power shortages with a long-term vision. Investments in infrastructure, renewable energy, and efficient load management are no longer optional but essential to ensure that people can withstand the cold with dignity.
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