Sajid Raina
Bandipora, Jan 22 : The residents of Shah-Gund village and its adjoining areas in Hajin area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district Friday staged a protest against the Power Development Department for erratic power supply and hike in monthly tariffs.
Raising slogans against the PDD department, the villagers demanded rollback of the monthly hike in power tariff and scheduled electricity for their villages.
The power supply lines have been tied to wooden poles and trees, posing a serious danger to humans and livestock.
“The electricity is disrupted for hours despite paying a monthly power tariff towards the department. We are having no choice but to take dinner under candlelight,” they said.
They also alleged that the department has even unnecessarily hiked monthly tariff while the villagers do not get proper and frequent power supply.
“Our children hardly concentrate on their studies, as the power remains on and off for several hours, even though we pay monthly tariff on time,” said Mustafa Ahmad, a local resident.
He said that due to the irresponsible attitude of the officers and field staff of PDD, the power scenario has been severely affected in the area.
Another local, Imtiyaz Ahmad said that no schedule has been framed for power cuts by department. “They snap it whenever they find it good mostly during peak hours,” he said.
He said that amid the chilly winter conditions, the villages are reeling under darkness
The protesters claimed that they brought the issue into the notice of the concerned officers several times, “but nothing has been done as yet.”
The villagers appealed to the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha to personally intervene into the matter and help resolve their genuine grievance—(KNO)
