Srinagar, July 7: Kashmir Traders’ United Front (KTUF) – an amalgam of traders’ bodies, today said the state government has “done nothing to get back the power projects being run by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation in J&K.” 
 The KTUF criticized the state government for not keeping its promise to provide uninterrupted power supply to Valleyites.
 “The present coalition government has made the life of the ordinary people and traders’ community in Kashmir difficult and miserable by frequent power tariff hikes during last one year.”
 “The traders’ community is facing lot of problems, but the state government instead of coming to their rescue, is rubbing salt on their wounds,” it said.
 “Kashmir valley is presently facing the worst power crisis as a result  of which the people in general and traders in particular are facing problems. The traders are incurring losses and the students are not able to concentrate on their studies in the scorching heat because of the absence of the electricity,” Muhammad Sadiq Baqal, president KTUF said.
 Speaking at a press conference here today, he said: “Despite having rich water resources sufficient enough to generate 20,000 MW, we are reeling under darkness while the NHPC is looting our water resources and the state government is watching the situation as mute spectator,” Baqal said, adding that it is an irony that “our water resources are being used to generate electricity for other states and we are getting nothing.”
 He said that during strikes and curfews traders are the worst sufferers. “Political parties should take into confidence the traders before announcing any such programs,” Baqal said, adding that government should provide compensation to traders for the losses they have incurred during three year unrest in Kashmir.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 8 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST