Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Mar 26: With the beginning of the Holy month of Ramadan, electricity is playing hide and seek in Kashmir especially during Iftar and Sehri, causing immense hardships to the people.
Residents across Kashmir, both metered and non-metered, have voiced their concerns about frequent power cuts during the crucial times of Sehri and Iftar. According to residents, these power cuts have become frequent during morning and evening hours, leaving them without electricity when they need it the most.
“Iftar and Sehri are essential meals during the holy month of Ramadan, and we want to be able to observe them peacefully with our families. However, with frequent power cuts, it has become a challenging task for us to prepare food and make arrangements,” said Umar Ahmad, a resident of downtown Srinagar.
Rashida Begum, another resident, echoed similar concerns, saying: “We are facing many difficulties due to these power cuts. It is a struggle to prepare food for Sehri and Iftar without electricity.”
Mushtaq Ahmad, a resident of Omar Abad, Zainakote said that the area was without power during Sehri and Iftar for last three days. “Government had made announcement that there will be no power outages during Sehri and Iftar but it is other way round. Before Ramadan the power situation was better,” he said.
The situation is similar in other districts, and people are unhappy with the power scenario despite the government’s assurances of uninterrupted electricity during the holy month of Ramadan, leaving residents feeling let down.
“It was better before, but now it has worsened with the onset of Ramadan. It is hard to keep or break the fast without a proper electricity supply,” Mohammad Yousuf, a local from Awantipora, said.
Another resident, Siraj Ahmad, from South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, said that the power cuts were irking them and they wanted the government to ensure electricity during Iftar and Sehri. “It is unfortunate that the electricity is unavailable when we need it most. All the tall claims of the government have fallen flat,” he said.
Javeed Yousuf, Chief Engineer of the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), acknowledged that power outages are occurring and explained that the outages are more frequent during Iftar and Sehri due to a sudden increase in demand. “There is a significant surge in demand during those hours and we are unable to meet it due to insufficient electricity supply,” he said, adding that they are striving to manage the power supply efficiently to minimize disruptions for people.
However, he also pointed out that people have been using more electrical appliances due to the drop in temperature, which has further escalated the demand and led to more frequent power cuts. Regarding the power cuts in metered areas, he said: “We are working to limit the cuts to no more than 15-20 minutes.”
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