The inhabitants of Duroo village in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have locked a power receiving station in the area to protest “unscheduled power cuts”.
They said they had been facing unscheduled power cuts for the past several weeks. “We have to face more than 14 hours’ power curtailment on daily basis, which has made our life a hell in these harsh winters. We have apprised the authorities concerned about the matter many times but to no avail,” said Ghulam Hassan of Duroo village.
He said they “have been forced to lock the receiving station” as the authorities had “failed to provide adequate power supply to the area”.
The receiving station was locked by the residents on Thursday and it has affected the power supply to three villages including Mundji, Shiva, Dangerpora and Duroo village itself.
The locals said they won’t let the authorities unlock the receiving station till the area is provided with adequate power supply.
When contacted, assistant executive engineer, sub-division Sopore, Farooq Ahmad said that Duroo village was getting 11 hour power supply as per the schedule but the locals “have taken the law into their hands which is very unfortunate”.
“We have 60 percent deficiency in power and therefore have to resort to 12-hour power curtailment in Sopore and Baramulla areas including Duroo village. There is no unnecessary power curtailment.
“We have to provide equitable supply to each area to maintain load balance on the grid station in order to avoid any damage, ” he said.
He said they had a meeting with the locals who were asked to unlock the station “so that the power supply is restored at the earliest.”