Power Development Department (PDD) Thursday increased its curtailment schedule to nine hours in south Kashmir’s Anantnag town.
This is in contrast to the schedule followed by the department in rest of the Kashmir where it is not more than five hours.
The town has three feeders – Sarnal, Naibasti-Khanabal and Harnag which get the supply from Wanpoh receiving station.
Sarnal, which caters to a large population, has been worst hit with power cuts even exceeding the scheduled hours. Talking to Greater Kashmir, Executive Engineer PDD (STD), Azhar Aftab said, “The feeder is overburdened due to which we had to issue the nine-hour power curtailment schedule in the town.”
He said remedial measures were on and the conductor would be augmented to overcome the crisis.
However, an official said that the power from Naibasti feeder was being diverted to the government residential quarters in Khanabal since the essential line developed a snag.
“Several areas which were being fed by Naibasti feeder are getting supply from Sarnal now, leaving it overloaded further,” he said.
The new schedule has drawn flak from the locals.
Muneeb Ahmad of Kadipora said the town, despite being fully metered, was reeling under darkness.
He said that the power cuts even go up to 12 hours a day.
The locals fear worse as winter sets in.
“We are into November and this is the scenario of power. I wonder what it will be in the coming months,” said Sameer Ahmad of Lal Chowk. He said the student community suffers the most due to arbitrary power cuts.
The curtailment schedule in non-metered areas of the district is already 12 hours. However, people in these areas complain of even longer power cuts.