Kashmir residents voice discontent over unplanned power outages

SRINAGAR — Residents of many areas in Kashmir on Saturday expressed resentment against the unscheduled outages in ‘metered and non-metered’ areas.

Consumers from different areas of Kashmir division expressed antipathy against the claims of the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL). The locals of several areas of Srinagar said that they were facing the worst electricity crisis.

One of the locals, Naseer Ahmad of Batamaloo, said, “Currently, we are facing more than 10 to 12 hours of curtailment in smart metered areas and more than 15-hour curtailment for non-metered areas.”

Ahmad said, “Besides the long curtailments, unscheduled power cuts are adding fuel to the fire.”

Similarly, the residents of Jawahar Nagar, Chattabal, Tengpora, Mominabad, and Karanagar expressed the same issues. “The pesky unscheduled power cuts are making our lives miserable.”

The residents of Pulwama, Qazigund, Ganderbal and subdivision Kangan areas informed that the concerned authorities have failed to implement their directives on the ground. “It seems that the KPDCL orders and directives pertaining to the supply of power and uninterrupted service remain confined to papers and offices only.”

A resident of Pulwama, Zahid Ahmad, said, “Irony is that the consumers even after paying the bills on time are being forced to reel under darkness. Frequent snapping of power against the scheduled power curtailment, especially in morning and evening hours, have jeopardized the living in rural areas.”

On Friday, the residents of Zafran Colony in Pantha Chowk area of Srinagar expressed their resentment against the DISCOM for resorting to unscheduled and irritating long power cuts in the area, stating that they pay electricity bills well in time.

KPDCL Chief Engineer (Distribution) Sandeep Seth and Managing Director Mussarat Islam were not available to comment on the issue.