Srinagar, Feb 4: Notwithstanding its own assurances, the Power Development Department has failed to release a revised curtailment schedule leaving the consumers a pestered lot who complain of the erratic supply. With this being scene in the summer capital, the plight elsewhere in the Valley can only be imagined.

THE COMPLAINTS
 From metered Chanapora colony in the south City to Lal Bazar in the north, the residents are up in arms against the erratic power supply. This is despite the fact that as per the earlier government statements, the metered consumers were to be provided uninterrupted power supply.
 The Lal Bazar residents said they bear around four hours of power cuts a day.
 “During daytime, the power goes off from 10 AM to 1 PM or 1 PM to five. There’s another cut of 1.5 hours in the evening between 6 to 10 PM but it has no timings,” said Danish Ahmed of Lal Bazar.
 “This is ridiculous that even though ours is a metered colony we have to face erratic cuts,” he added.
 The residents of Chanapora have similar complaints.
 “Basically, there’s no curtailment schedule for our area. The electricity simply plays hide and seek,” said Shah Rasool of the suburb colony.
 Maharaja Bazar residents said they face three odd hours of curtailment a day.
 “The power goes off for an hour in the evening besides, there an hour or two of curtailment during daytime,” said Pintu Molvi, a local.
 These were the complaints from metered areas whereas the non-metered clientele said they face worst.
 “On an average we get 12 hours of supplies a day,” said a local from Kandur Mohalla, Saida Kadal.

CURTAILMENT MOCKERY
 Unlike the past, this year, the PDD didn’t come up a curtailment schedule which could keep the consumers informed about the power supplies.

CUSTOMARY STATEMENTS
 Some two months ago, prompted by severe embarrassment due to the poor supplies, the Commissioner Secretary, PDD, BR Sharma on December 17 reviewed the power situation at a high level meeting in the City and asked the department to announce a revised curtailment plan with a week.
 As per an official handout: “Sharma asked the PDD officers to immediately revise the curtailment program for the next two months so that the announced schedule was adhered to and save the consumers from unscheduled power cuts in future.”
 Finally, following public outcry against frequent power cuts, the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah had personally asked the PDD to frame the revised schedule which be adhered to strictly.
 But till now the revised plan is awaited.

PROTESTS, THE FEAR FACTOR
 Sources attributed the delay in the revised curtailment schedule to PDD’s failure in formulating a timetable which could be adhered to strictly.
 “We had formulated a plan but that would mean more curtailment. Given the turmoil, we feared it of being another reason of protests, so the issue of releasing a new timetable was shelved,” said an official requesting not to be named.

PDD SPEAKS
 The senior officials of the PDD including the Commissioner didn’t respond to phone calls.
 But a lower rung official on the condition of anonymity said: “There are instructions from the higher-ups to shelve the announcement of new curtailment schedule.”
 The PDD claims to have been utilizing the additional 500 MWs of power announced by Prime Minister during his recent visit to Kashmir.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 4 Feb 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 4 Feb 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 5 Feb 2010 00:00:00 IST