The residents of Drugmulla and adjoining villages in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district Monday staged a protest against the Power Development Department (PDD) for failing to provide them proper power supply.
The traders and locals of Drugmulla staged the protest at the main market and blocked the Kupwara-Sopore highway due to which traffic was halted for over two hours. The protestors raised slogans against the PDD for “erratic” and “regular” power cuts.
A mechanic at Drugmulla market said that his business had been badly hit due to regular power cuts.
“I repair electrical appliances for which electricity is a must but the non-availability of power supply has badly hit my livelihood. All the mechanics at this market sit idle the entire day,” he said.
The residents said entire Drugmulla area, which consists of several villages, has been reeling under darkness for the past several weeks.
“The authorities are acting like mute spectators,” Shaheen Ahmad, a local, said.
Asif, a student from Anderhama, Drugmulla said, “For the last couple of months, we haven’t seen regular power supply for even an hour. We study under candle lights.”
Later, after the assurances of the Naib Tehsildar and Station House officer (SHO) Drugmulla, the protestors dispersed peacefully.
However, the locals warned of intensifying the protests if their grievances were not redressed at the earliest.