Hapless public facing severe power crisis
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, June 11: As the intense heat-wave continues to create havoc in the plain areas of Jammu region for the last couple of days, the Temple City’s temperature touched 44.7 degrees Celsius today, the highest during this season so far while the hapless people of the region are facing severe power crisis due to unscheduled power cuts and long delays in rectifying power faults.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
As the MeT office has predicted dry weather since June 7 up to at least for one week, the severe hot weather conditions, specially in the plain areas of Jammu, Samba and Kathua, have created havoc. Samba town has recorded highest temperature 46.8 degrees C as per Automatic Weather Station of the IMD Centre, Srinagar. The Centre has recorded 44.7 deg C temperature in Jammu, 40.2 deg at Rajouri, 39.5 at Poonch, 42.2 at Reasi, 41.9 deg at Ramban, 43.8 deg at Kathua while 33.8 deg C at Kishtwar. 46.5 degree C is the second highest temperature, shown by the IMD Centre, Srinagar for Mirpur city in PoJK on Wednesday.
The MeT office said that Jammu’s temperature was about 5.9 degree Celsius above the normal for the day while Katra about five degrees above normal. Katra recorded 40.6 deg C temperature today, Bhaderwah 34.4 deg, Banihal 34.1 while Batote 33.3 deg C.
Qazigund in Kashmir recorded the highest 34.6 deg C temperature in Kashmir region today, about 8 degrees above normal, while Srinagar’s day temperature remained 33.9 deg C which was about 6 degrees above normal.
Gulmarg recorded a maximum temperature of 24.0 deg C, Pahalgam 28.8 degree, Kupwara 32.8 while Kokernag 32.9 which is about 7 degrees above normal.
The MeT official said that up to June 14, the weather will remain hot and dry while from June 14 late evening or early hours of June 15, the people will have some relief from the heat wave in the Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the Monsoon is likely to hit Jammu and Kashmir during last week of June, showing slight change in the trend during last two days. He said the pre-Monsoon showers may hit during third week but, the full fledged Monsoon has been showing a little delay now, by ending June or first week of July.
Meanwhile, with the increasing temperature, the power infrastructure including electric transformers and the cables of the Power Development Department are getting damaged in Jammu, Kathua and Samba areas. The increasing power faults and long delays on the part of PDD/JPDCL staff to restore power, has made the lives of the people miserable during these intense hot summer days. The water supply too, has been affected with the poor power supply not only in Jammu but in the other districts including Udhampur, Kathua, Samba and Reasi.
The frequent unscheduled power curtailment has also affected the business establishments as well besides giving sleepless nights to the people paying fatty bills to the JPDCL. Even the areas where Smart Meters have been installed, are left to suffer. The promise of uninterrupted power to such areas has proved as a cruel joke with them.
The power supply failed in many parts of Jammu North including Indira Colony, Lakad Mandi, Excelsior Lane, Bhawani Nagar, Naseeb Nagar and many other adjoining areas at around 11 pm on Tuesday. The power could be restored after 12 hours, only at around 11.20 am on Wednesday. Despite repeated calls neither concerned field staff including Linemen, Inspectors/ Supervisors, JEs, AE, nor the AEE Janipur, bothered to respond to the public calls.
Similar reports were received from many other parts of Jammu City, Kathua and Samba besides Udhampur. In majority area of Udhampur town, the power supply remained suspended for more than 12 hours on Tuesday. It could be restored today morning. The people alleged that the mobile phones of the concerned PDD staff either remain shut or they do not pick up phone at the time of crisis. This is the worst ever period being faced during these hot summer days, they alleged.
Chief Engineer, PDD/JPDCL Jammu, KK Thapa when contacted said that due to increasing temperature and over loading of the systems, this problem is being faced by the Department. Many transformers are getting damaged due to heat and over loading. Moreover, daily wagers have gone on strike since yesterday. The permanent staff is less in number and due to this reason, the delay is being caused for the restoration of power supply to many areas. He said the matter with regard to the demands of the PDD workers on strike, has been taken up with the higher authorities including MD, JPDCL. The issue will be resolved shortly, he added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
