Sirhama (Bijbehara), Dec 28:  Most of the hamlets of Dachnipora Bijbehara of South Kashmir reel under dark amid severe chill as power supply is erratic and the curtailment hours stretch for more that 16 hours.
 The inhabitants of village Sirhama harbour a great deal of resentment against the Power Development Department for erratic power supply despite the fact that they pay tariff regularly without any break. “The unscheduled power cuts are the gnawing torments for us and our children cannot study as the village sans electricity for most of the hours,”  says Muhammad Maqbool Dar of Sirhama.
 Harbouring a bad feeling for not getting suitable power supply, most of the residents of this south Kashmir hamlet believe that prehistoric time was better than “modern Kashmir” when it comes to light sources.
 “In past, people used wood splinters to get light, but today we have neither wood, nor kerosene or electricity and it is foolish to say that we live in modern Kashmir,” a teacher Gull Muhammad said.
 Though economically sound, Sirhama has the woes having genesis in the administration and the efforts of the inhabitants to get them addressed have yielded no results.
 The decayed wooden poles supporting the electric wires installed 40 years back are hanging like a Democle’s sword over the head of the people. “We had apprised the PDD officials several times of the problem, but every time our requests fell on deaf ears,” a resident Mushtaq Ahmad told Greater Kashmir.
 Though government had sanctioned additional transformers to the village to meet the power stress, the alleged tussle between PDP MLA and National Conference MLC has impeded the delivery of these transformers.
 “The PDD officials are not ready to install the transformers because the MLA and MLC pull the strings behind the scenes on the advice of their workers,” said a local of Sirhama pleading anonymity.

AILING HEALTHCARE
 “We have a colossal hospital in the village, but without proper staff. The hospital opens at 11 AM in the morning and closes at 4 PM. Where will the patients go during the night? They are being rushed to the nearest sub-district hospital at Bijbehara,” asks a resident, Bashir Ahmad Dar.
 “Can’t the hospital provide service to the patients round the clock? It is possible only if the administration at least realizes that residents have healthcare problem in the area.”
 PHE department has almost taken the village for a ride as they have never been able to provide safe and adequate drinking water supply to the residents.
 “The mechanical division of the PHE department has not been able to take the tube well at Sirhama beyond the digging work, which was carried out in the first week of October.”
 “We fail to understand why the work was not carried on by the engineers when the government has already sanctioned Rs 2.81 crore for it,” Abdul Rashid a resident said.
 The residents said that the scarcity of drinking water has forced the residents to use unsafe water making their lives susceptible to the water borne diseases.
 The residents said the Building of the Government High School Sirhama is less spacious and in keeping with the public demand, the government had sanctioned funds for the construction of an additional building. “Though the plinth of the building is complete, the work was not started after that, despite the fact that months have elapsed,” the residents added.
 The residents said that during inclement weather the school has to close some classes, but the government is not bothered to expedite the work on the building and the delay is bound to ruin the academic career of the students.
 The residents alleged that the government could not install a gate for the school and the school has become a safe haven for stray dogs and other animals which has polluted the school compound and gives a vapid taste to the students and teachers.
 Mahind village 3 kilometers away from Sirhama has the similar dismal power picture to paint.
 One hundred Kilowatt transformer is providing power to 200 households and the residents have apprised the concerned officials time and again, but all in vain.
  “We have no power. There are no wires and poles, no transformers in the village and the PDD has nothing to offer us and they are a big anathema for the inhabitants of this village,” said Rashid Ahmad.
 The residents said the frequent unscheduled power curtailments are akin to torture to the residents in the Chillaekalan and the power disturbance is affecting the examination preparations of the students.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST