The power scenario in Kashmir has turned from bad to worse as the power development department has failed to ensure power supply as per their curtailment schedule leaving both residents as well businessmen, industrialists high and dry.
Despite centre government announcing an additional grant of 700 MW to the state for meeting the “power deficit”, the power scenario in Kashmir has not improved.
However as per official of PDD, the lack of “requisite infrastructure and system capacity of PDD is rendering the additional power quota useless, resulting in power outages in Kashmir.”
This has resulted in frequent power cuts, leaving locals as well as the businessmen; industrialists face both wrath of chilling cold and business losses. Situation is same in both metered as well as non-metered areas leaving people high and dry.
While in business sector the frequent power cuts have resulted in production and business losses.
President, Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir, Mukhtar Yousuf said despite PDD announcing schedule it still resort to frequent power cuts which has resulted in production losses upto 50 percent.
“We have number of times pleaded with the authorities that unscheduled power cuts in industrial areas cause huge losses as our units take time to heat up the process and even 15 minutes of power cut will result in the repetition of complex heating process,” he said.
The hoteliers are also facing the brunt of power cuts affecting both tourists as well as tourism traders.
“Despite hectic efforts to promote Kashmir tourism and inviting tourists to the Valley, frequent power cuts give bad name to our hospitality sector as tourists complain,” said chairman, J&K Hoteliers Club, Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya.
He said that despite tourism sector being given industrial sector status. “There is no power supply to the hotels. Some of our hotels are facing 8 hour power curtailments which increase their cost of operation.”
Similarly the residents of Soura, Nowhatta, Nowshera, Nigeen, Rainawari, Karan Nagar, Shalteng, Lal Bazar complained of unscheduled power cuts ranging from 3 to 8 hours.
“It is height of insensitive by the PDP-BJP government. They have bought us back to the old age by resorting to indiscriminate power cuts,” said Shahid Ahmad Banday, a resident of Soura.
He added that in their area, apart from scheduled power cuts, PDD resorts to unscheduled power cuts upto 4 hours a day. “Which means technically we receive power for only 10 hours,” he added.
Chief Engineer, PDD didn’t respond to the phone calls from this newspaper, despite repeated attempts.
Power crisis across Kashmir going from bad to worse
