Senior President, Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK), Javeed Ahmad Bhat in a statement termed the recent announcements as “partiality within the regions of the state”.
At a time when Industrial Estates in Kashmir continue to suffer from unscheduled and pesky power cuts, the Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh’s announcement of uninterrupted power supply to Jammu industry has been termed as “selective and biased towards the three districts of Jammu region” by valley based business leaders.
The Deputy Chief Minister, while addressing a function in Samba recently has said that Industrial Estates in Bari Brahmana, Samba and Kathua will get round-the-clock electricity supply for making Jammu, a hub of industrial activities.
However, Kashmir industrialists have questioned what they called the ‘selective move’ by the state government to provide round the clock power supply to only Jammu industries and neglecting Kashmir based estates.
Senior President, Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK), Javeed Ahmad Bhat in a statement termed the recent announcements as “partiality within the regions of the state”.
In a written statement, FCIK warned the state government against its “step motherly attitude” towards the industrial fraternity of the Kashmir valley and have said if such attitude continues “we will be forced to go for the valley wide agitation”.
“We are not opposing the government’s move to provide the 24/7 power supply at Jammu but same should be provided to Kashmir industries as well. We have been asking for the same facility for the Kashmir valley since a long time. There is the evening curtailment going on in the Industrial estate of the Kashmir which is a major worry but government never cares about that,” Bhat said.
Industry veterans in Kashmir have expressed concern that state government is resorting to “regional disparity” especially when collective development of the industry across state has been a part of the ‘agenda of alliance’ (common minimum programme of the present BJP-PDP government).
Prominent industrialist, Shakeel Qalander said instead of making region-specific announcements with regard to regular power supply, state government should focus on ways in which uninterrupted power can be provided to IEs in Kashmir.
“It is shocking that one who happens to be a power minister or an industries minister for all Jammu Kashmir talks about development of only one region and 24/7 power to Jammu IEs only while ignoring Kashmir businesses completely,” Qalander said.
President, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Mushtaq Wani said it has been a long pending demand of industries from Kashmir that government should provide uninterrupted power supply to industrial estates. “We have been demanding it for past three years that uninterrupted power supply be provided for industrial estates. Industry in Kashmir suffers a massive production loss due to frequent power cuts and we are in great need of regular power connectivity. Since there is a separate feeder for industrial areas so power should be provided without any hassles there,” Wani said.
Questioning the government move, he asked, how can be the industries of one region important and other can be neglected.
According to president, Small Scale Industrial Association, Fazal Illahi, Bage-Ali –Mardan Khan industrial estate is plunged into darkness on regular basis. Illahi said power cuts, especially during the evening puts safety and security of the IE on stake and appealed PDD for improving the power infrastructure of this IE.
“Our Industrial area has been facing worst power crisis since last winter as there are two to three power cuts every day. We have been running from pillar to post but to no avail. While on one hand it is being portrayed that industry is essential and needs uninterrupted power but on other hand we are at the receiving end of power cuts. Any faults in domestic lines leaves an impact on the industrial area which often causes black outs in the IE” Illahi said.
