Bandipora: The power crisis in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district has worsened making residents angry.
The locals blame the authorities for an ‘insensitive’ approach to maintaining a proper power curtailment schedule.
“I have been working from home for a company and it demands at least eight hours of the online process but with erratic power supply and no power back up at home, I feel helpless,” said Zaid, a local.
People associated with businesses that require power consumption seem to be distraught about the power crisis.
“The government is spending a huge amount of money to install smart meters and effective metering infrastructure to ensure every unit of energy consumed by the consumers is billed but it is least bothered about providing a regular power supply,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, a local.
“The government should crack a whip on those resorting to power theft but ensure a regular power supply,” said Ishfaq of Konan village.
Similarly, people from localities including main market, Nowpora, Gamroo, Arin, Lowdara, Papchan, Kaloosa, Muslimabad, Naz Colony, Panzigam, and scores of other areas said that they had to face frequent and unscheduled power cuts.
A few years ago a 50 MVA, 132/35KV power grid was commissioned and people thought the situation of power supply would change but it was never to be.
Meanwhile, local administration on Monday called a meeting of executive officers of the Power Development Department (PDD) with the Deputy Commissioner about the power crisis in the district.
Joint Director Planning Imtiyaz Ahmad told media persons that the DC was informed that the crisis was due to the ongoing repair works on the Wagoora-Zainakote transmission line and that it would continue till November 14.
“It’s being witnessed that Bandipora is facing problems with regular power supply. People are requested to have patience and bear with us till November 14. The administration is striving hard for people’s betterment,” he said.