Ganderbal admin, residents in hot water

Ganderbal: The Ganderbal district administration Saturday ordered a ban on the sale and use of heaters, boilers, blowers, and other electrical heating appliances in the district but the decision evoked widespread condemnation, forcing the authorities to issue a corrigendum and modify the order stating that the sale, purchase and use of only banned Nichrome coils-based crude water heaters and crude cooking heaters had been banned.

An order in this regard was issued by the District Magistrate Ganderbal, Shyambir.

   

“Given the fast-approaching winter season and to avoid any collateral damages to electric supply (transmission lines and transformers) due to heavy load on transmission system by use of heavy heating appliances which are not permissible, it has been apprehended that non-judicious use of electrical appliances like blowers, heaters, and radiator might cause damage to transmission lines due to heavy load, resulting in disturbance in the hassle-free power supply,” the orders reads.

“To provide hassle-free electric supply to the consumers as well as government offices and hospitals in Ganderbal district and to avoid unscheduled power cuts that cause inconvenience to the people and disruption of services of emergent nature, particularly patient care, I, Shyambir, District Magistrate Ganderbal in the exercise of powers vested in me under Section 144 CrPc of 1973, hereby impose a blanket ban on storage, sale, possession, and use of heavy heating appliances like heaters, boilers, and radiators within the territorial jurisdiction of Ganderbal district within immediate effect. Any violation of this order will attract punitive action as warranted under the relevant laws,” the order said.

Soon after the order was issued, it went viral on social media and many netizens criticised the administration for it saying that the administration was completely out of sync with the ground realities and the authorities were living in ivory towers not knowing the difficulties common people face during the ongoing harsh weather conditions that were set to get worse with the approaching winter.

Hours later, the Ganderbal district administration rectified the order and issued a corrigendum stating, “Whereas this office has issued an order under Section 144 of the CrPc with an objective to ensure efficient use of electricity and its conservation and prevent the use of prohibited, unauthorised crude heating devices. Whereas the order under reference mentions about other devices as well and therefore the order needs correction. Therefore in order to achieve the objective, I, District Magistrate Ganderbal in exercise of powers vested in me by virtue of Section 144 CrPc amend the operative part of the order and issue directions: ‘For efficient use of energy its conservation and for safety of life and property, do hereby prohibit sale, purchase and use of banned Nichrome coils-based crude water heaters and crude cooking heaters which do not conform to the relevant specifications of the Bureau of Indian standard.”

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ganderbal Shyambir did not respond to repeated calls from Greater Kashmir.

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