Kashmir Facing Major Electricity Problem

Kashmir valley is facing major electricity problem for the past fortnight though the local generation has increased with the improvement in water flow in the rivers.

However, there is no discrimination between metered and unmetered areas as both are facing more than 10 hours to 14 hours power curtailment in 24 hours.

Reports of people organising protests and blocking roads were pouring in from different parts of the valley almost daily against the power breakdown.

“We had never witnessed such power crisis, that too in the months of March and April when the power generation locally goes up with the increase in water level in rivers,” people said.

Even during the Chalai-e-Kalan, the coldest period of winter, the situation was far more better, they added.

The frequent power failure after almost every one hour for one to two hours has badly affected the industries, professionals and media.

Even Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan Srinagar stations too face sudden power failure, affecting programmes, including news.

Each time the Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan had to express regrets. “Frequent power failure has badly affected our business as we had to switch over frequently to power generators,” said the shopkeepers in the civil lines, including historic Lal Chowk.

The headquarters of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and a number of media offices, including UNI, AFP and Daily Jagran too had to switch over to power generators because of unscheduled and frequent
power failure for hours.

The metered areas in summer capital Srinagar, too faced acute power crisis for more than 10 hours. The situation was no good in unmetered areas where people alleged that they again had to switch over to candles and lantern.

In the rural and far flung areas, people alleged that they hardly see electricity. The Valley Citizen Council (VCC) criticised the government for failing to provide basic facilities to people.

Despite increasing power tariff and issuing inflated bills to consumers, the consumers are facing major power cuts, VCC general secretary Imdad Saqi said. He said this is for the first time that Kashmir is facing such a power crisis, affecting every shade of life, particularly students.


(Free Press Kashmir)