The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC&I) has expressed deep concern and disappointment over the erratic power supply in Kashmir Valley. The Chamber has been keenly observing and assessing the situation for the past several months, and has found that the power outages have had a grave impact on industry, trade, business, and households.
The KCC&I has criticized the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) for its “unreliable and contradictory policies” in maintaining regular power supply. The Chamber pointed out that the KPDCL had promised uninterrupted power supply after installing smart meters, but this promise has not been fulfilled. In fact, the power supply has been severely erratic for most of the year.
The KCC&I is also concerned about the fact that the KPDCL has failed to stick to its announced power supply schedule. This has further compounded the miseries of consumers. The Chamber has also criticized the KPDCL for resorting to “false propaganda” and hiding behind excuses.
The KCC&I has urged the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to personally intervene and direct the concerned officials to take measures to ensure regular power supply to consumers, especially during the punishing cold winter months. The Chamber has also pointed out that the erratic power supply is having a negative impact on the tourism sector, as helpless tourists are facing a tough time and becoming bad publicity for Kashmir.
The KCC&I expects the KPDCL to show some responsibility towards the people of Kashmir and take immediate steps to address the power crisis.
NO:KCC&I/PN/11/2023/2494 3rd November , 2023
PRESS NOTE
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCC&I) has been keenly observing and assessing the unprecedented erratic power supply occurring in Kashmir valley over the past several months which has been gravely affecting the industry, trade /business of all sorts and the households in general. The Chamber expresses its deep concern and disappointment with the unreliable and contradictory policies of the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) being adopted for maintaining regular power supply to the consumers. It is strange that the department while starting the process of installation of smart meters had committed to uninterrupted flawless electric supply to the consumers, which has not proved true on the ground as the power supply has been severely erratic for most of the time during the year. The KPDCL came out with a schedule for electric supply instead of making sure the regular supply. However, astonishingly the KPCDL has miserably failed to stick to the announced schedule also further compounding the miseries of the all type of consumers. It appears the Department is continuously failing in meeting the aspiration of the consumers and is not only hiding behind one or the other excuse but is resorting to a false propaganda. Many weeks ago the KPDCL announced that it had procured power from Uttar Pradesh and was in negotiations for purchasing more from central Grid to ease out of the situation created by the Power shortage. Nothing has happened since then and the Department came out even with a power curtailment before the onset of winter when the power demand is lesser than that of harsh winter months. The KCC&I would, therefore, request the Lt. Governor Saheb to personally intervene , direct concerned officials to take measures in ensuring the power supply to the consumers and alleviate the miseries of the consumers particularly the Industries, Tourism Sector, Industrial Estates, CA stores, shopkeepers and Traders, Senior Citizen, Sick, students, Health, Education on account of non- availability of regular power Supply through the punishing cold winters. It is worth mention that the Government spends crores on tourism promotion as a result of which we receive a large number of tourists thereby contributing to various sectors of economy. The helpless tourists not only face a tough time but become a bad publicity for our tourism due to the prevailing and worsening power crisis. KCCI expects KPDCL shows some responsibility towards the beleaguered population, to say the least.
Fiaz Ahmad Bakshi
Secretary General
