Amidst of the shivering winter, every village and city is enveloped in darkness as frequent power cuts is causing widespread grief among the people despite the claims of additional electricity supply by the power department.
The deteriorating power situation in south and north and central Kashmir, as well as in other remote villages, has left people distraught. Consumers said that with the onset of autumn, the power situation has taken a turn for the worse and students are facing the biggest problems due to repeated power cuts as their exams are going these days.
Even though they are paying electricity fees regularly, the situation is not changing and the locals are anguished. People claimed that power employees only appear at the time of collection of fees and later disappear as there is no schedule of electricity in the valley.
Consumers said that power schedules are secretly changed overnight and although loud claims are made in local dailies but not implemented on the ground with frequent unavailability of power supply.
They have come to the conclusion that it would be better if there was no electricity. They added that despite sit-ins and protests, the officials of the department were not being affected and the problems of the consumers were increasing day by day. Similar situation were witnessed in North Kashmir: Karnah, Tangdhar, Machel, Sogam, Kupwara, Lolab, Trehgam, Lalpura, Handwara, Ramhal, Rajwar, Chak, Wadipora, Vader Bala, Wader Payeen, Sonmarg, Khani, Kakrosa, Darshpura, Qaziabad, Rafiabad, Baramulla, Sopore, Uri, Pattan and other areas also have no power supply in the evening.
On this situation, the public has expressed outrage against the power department and asked the government that with the onset of winter, the government and bureaucrats are camping in Jammu and the people of the valley are left stranded.
Consumers added that despite the meters are installed, there was a promise that there would be no unnecessary cuts in power supply and consumers would be provided 24 hours power but that promise also proved to be a mirage on the ground.
They demanded immediate improvement in the power situation and warned that if the situation continued, a protest campaign would be launched against the department across the valley, for which the entire responsibility will be with the PDD department.
