The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC&I) has expressed grave concern over the erratic power supply in Kashmir, which has been gravely affecting businesses and households alike.
In a statement, the KCC&I said that the erratic power supply has been a major concern for the past several weeks, and that the Power Development Corporation (PDC) has failed to address the issue.
The KCC&I also criticized the PDC’s contradictory policies, such as promising uninterrupted power supply while installing smart meters, and then announcing a scheduled power supply.
The KCC&I has urged the Lieutenant Governor administration to appoint a fact-finding committee to identify the reasons for the erratic power supply, and to take steps to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the upcoming winter months.
The KCC&I also pointed out that lakhs of crores are invested in various sectors in Kashmir, such as horticulture and cold storage, and that power cuts will destroy the stored fruit and cause losses to growers and dealers.
The erratic power supply in Kashmir has been a major concern for many years, and the KCC&I’s statement is a timely reminder of the need to address this issue. The Lieutenant Governor administration should take steps to appoint a fact-finding committee and to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the upcoming winter months.
PRESS NOTE
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC&I) has been keenly observing and assessing the critically erratic electric power supply situation occurring in the valley over the past several weeks which has been gravely affecting the trade /business of all sorts and the households in general. The Chamber express its grave concern and disappointment with the contradictory policies of the KPDCL adopting in regarding to regular power supply to the consumers as on the one hand the department while starting the process of installation of smart meters promised uninterrupted flawless electric supply to the consumers, which never proved on the ground as the power supply has been erratic through out the summer and now on the other hand is more often scarcely available and the Department astonishingly has announced to come out with a scheduled for electric supply instead of making sure the regular supply. It appears the Department is continuously failing in meeting the aspiration of the consumers and is hiding behind pretext one or the other. A week ago the KPDCL announced that it had procured 400 MW’s from Uttar Pradesh and was in negotiations for purchasing another 150 MW’s from centre to ease out of the situation created by the Power shortage. Nothing has happened since then and the Department is coming out of a winter power curtailment schedule though it is still autumn when the power demand is lesser than that of winter months. The KCC&I would, therefore, request the Lt. Governor administration to appoint a fact finding Committee to pin point the faulty links that lead to the miseries of the consumers particularly the Senior Citizen, Sick, students, Health, Education, Industries, Tourism Sector, Industrial Estates, CA stores, shopkeepers and traders on account of non- availability of uninterrupted power Supply through the ensuing cold winters.
It is worth mentioning here that lacs of crores are invested in above referred sectors, more so, Horticulture and CA stores in which hundred of crores of fruit is stored and the power cuts will destroy the stored fruit and cause loss to growers and dealers.
Fiaz Ahmad Bakshi
Secretary General
