Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Nov 22: Kashmir grappled with an unprecedented power crisis as temperatures plummet, prompting the administration to consider procuring extra electricity to ease hardships for residents.
While sharing their experiences, residents across the Valley voiced concerns about the deteriorating power scenario, exacerbating the challenges of the ongoing severe cold, with temperatures plummeting below zero degrees Celsius.
Both metered and non-metered areas complain about unscheduled power outages lasting up to 10 hours daily, deviating from the schedule released by Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited last month.
“The electricity situation is particularly dire this year; unlike previous years, issues began arising as early as September. While power cuts were typical in October or November, this year’s disruptions began much sooner,” a consumer said.
Another consumer accused the Government of deceiving them with fake promises of round-the-clock electricity after the installation of smart meters. “The situation has worsened as we are not even getting electricity for 10 hours these days. At least they should provide electricity as per the schedule.”
Divisional Commissioner Vijay Kumar acknowledged the power supply issues and assured improvement within a week. “For purchasing extra power, the LG, Manoj Sinha, has constituted a special committee, and a decision is expected soon. Within a week, there will be improvement in the power scenario as the availability increases,” he said.
In response to the reason behind the existing power crisis, Kumar said: “We faced two issues this time: first, the early onset of severe winter, and secondly, we had low rainfall during September affecting discharge, which also affected the power generation capacity.”
He admitted that the scheduled power cuts of 4.5-6 hours for metered and 8-10 hours for non-metered areas could not be followed on the field due to increased demand, prompting distress cuts. “I would like to request the people, especially from flat-rate areas, to use electricity judiciously, and the power situation will improve,” he said.
The power cuts have severe repercussions on businesses, with traders considering legal action if the Government fails to adhere to the promised electricity schedule. “We have to spend nights in darkness… Our inverters and batteries are down. As traders, our business is getting affected. We need electricity during working hours from 9 to 10. We are unable to generate bills for consumers,” Riyaz Ahmad, a shopkeeper, said.
“The rule the Government of the Indian Ministry of Power has framed, Rule 126, 2020, ensures consumer rights to seek compensation from the distribution company if it fails to provide round-the-clock electricity. We, as a civil society, are preparing to move to court to protect consumer rights,” he said.
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