Around 500 villages and most major and small towns in southern Kashmir have received no electricity for the past week after a transformer at Mir Bazar receiving station developed a fault on January 20.
The authorities had assured the local residents that the transformer would be set right within 24 hours.
Anantnag town and about 100 villages in the district besides 120 villages in Kulgam, 230 in Shopian and 50 in Pulwama have been plunged into darkness, an official said.
The snag has affected 48 receiving stations—37 in twin districts of Anantnag and Kulgam, all seven in Shopian and four in Pulwama district.
“They can’t rectify a fault for a week in this harsh weather. This shows how concerned the government is about the people,” said Muneeb Ahmad, a youth from old town Anantnag. People have demonstrated at some places.
An official said that instead of a PDD engineer a civil engineer has been assigned the maintenance of transformers at Mir Bazar.
“A departmental inquiry should be initiated to ascertain what led to the negligence,” he said. Chief Engineer system and operation Khurshid Ahmad Budoo said the snag has been rectified and power supply will be restored by today evening.