Pulwama: Residents of Pulwama are up in arms against the Power Development Department (PDD) for plunging the district into darkness
 They said with the onset of winter the PDD authorities have resorted to unscheduled power-cuts in Pulwama town and 20 adjoining villages causing immense inconvenience to the inhabitants.
 The locals minced no words to blame the outdated and under-capacity power transmission system in Pulwama for the unscheduled power cuts. They said the main 10 MVA transformer feeding majority of areas in Pulwama has been damaged second time in past eight months.
 Due to this power supply has been affected in many villages including Malikpora, Dalaipora, Chatapora, Washbug Dangarpora, Prichoo, Drusoo, Trichal, Pinglena, Quil, Gangoo, Muran, Bandzoo, Chatarpora, Rangmulla and Machpuna.
 “We receive electricity hardly for an hour in intervals in 24 hours. We regularly pay electricity bills but the PDD has failed to provide us regular power supply,” the aggrieved residents said.
 The unscheduled power cuts in metered and unmetered areas besides causing inconvenience to the residents has affected business of traders.
 “Due to unscheduled power cuts we have to close our shops before evening. Despite immense technological advancement it seems we are still living in primitive times,” said a group of shopkeepers of Pulwama town.
 “In absence of electricity particularly during night hours our wards find it difficult to prepare for ongoing annual examinations. It is ironical that the concerned PDD engineers are resorting to inordinate delay in undertaking repairs of the damaged transformer,” they said.
 When contacted the Executive Engineer PDD Pulwama Ali Muhammad said the department resorts to power cuts as the main transformer has been damaged. “We have lifted considerable load from the station to give some relief to the people. The transformer is being repaired and hopefully it will be re-installed within five days,” he said.
 However sources said the power trouble in Pulwama was caused due to lack of timely maintenance of the transformers and transmission system.
 “With increasing load the entire power receiving and distribution system in Pulwama would be rendered defunct within a year if the authorities fail to augment the system,” they added.

Compiled by Showkat Dar

Lastupdate on : Mon, 5 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 5 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 6 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST