‘23-hour curtailment’ triggers protest in Handwara village
Residents block highway, demand adequate electricity
Srinagar: Residents from Chowgul village of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Friday staged a protest against the Power Development Department (PDD) for failing to provide them electricity most of the times.
They blocked the Kupwara-Srinagar highway at Braripora in protest against the Power Development Department.
The locals said that they had been compelled to hit the streets as the department has failed to provide them adequate electricity.
“We are being forced to face immense hardships in absence of proper electricity,” an aggrieved protester said.
They said they get electricity “only for one hour in 24 hours”.
The frequent power cuts, they said, has affected their daily chorus and studies of students.
“Even after the directions by higher authorities, the concerned PDD division seems least bothered about the sufferings of people as no action has been taken to ensure the sufferings of people are put to an end,” a local alleged.
The locals threatened to intensify their protests in case the power supply was not fixed.
With the holy month of Ramadan overhead, the locals said “We don’t see any hope of adequate power supply as the main grid has malfunctioned transformer system.”
A local blamed the department officials of PDD Handwara for the “mess due to their lethargic work culture”.
The inadequate power supply has also hit working of main facilities at district hospital Handwara and other business centres in the main town, locals complained.
The particular transformer, which was damaged due to “mishandling by the local PDD staffers, was taken to a workshop for repairs, but is yet to be brought back even after a lapse of 15 days”.
Interestingly, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Handwara had written to the Executive Engineer PDD division Handwara, asking him to ensure adequate electricity is supplied to the villages.
However, the assurances have made no difference, locals rued. (KNS)
KV News
