Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) senior leader and former minister Ghulam Hassan Mir on Wednesday urged the Lieutenant Governor’s administration to ensure uninterrupted power and water supplies especially in rural areas of Kashmir during the month of Ramadan.
In a statement issued here, Mir said the people in rural areas are reeling under perpetual darkness that too in this holy month. “The unscheduled power cuts that are taking place since the commencement of Ramadan this year especially during Sehri and Iftaar times in most of the areas in rural Kashmir is unfortunate and puts a question mark on the claims of the present dispensation in J&K UT,” Mir remarked.
The rural and far off places in Kashmir, he said, are observing black outs for days together which also hampers the functioning of essential services like health and water supply schemes in these areas. “The Power Development Department and Jal Shakti department should direct its field staff to ensure that there is hassle-free electricity and water supply to the consumers during this sacred month so that the people are not subjected to any inconvenience,” he added.
Mir observed that the prevailing dismal power situation is also because of delay in restoration of damaged transformers in various villages especially in North Kashmir. The government should create a buffer stock of transformers and also order installation of new and replacement of damaged electric poles, worn out conductor wires and fulfill other infrastructural needs of power department for smooth power supply to the people especially in Ramadan,” the JKAP leader stressed.
He further demanded that the district level authorities must ensure availability of essential commodities in the market including vegetables and poultry besides timely supply of gas, Kerosene, flour and sugar from the government depots and fair price shops to the consumers.
“The administration should also ensure supply of free ration and other edible commodities to BPL and other economically weaker sections of the society in view of the COVID lockdown and the holy month of Ramadan,” Mir pleaded.
