Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 4: Irate public held strong protest demonstration in Poonch city, in Gursai area of Mendhar and Budhal in Rajouri against the Power Development Department.
The agitating public blocked Rajouri-Budhal road at Daraj, Samote and Draman and disrupted the movement of traffic for over six hours today. They were raising slogans against the PDD authorities for massive power curtailment and issuing heavy electricity bills on flat rates to the consumers.
Several Sarpanchs and Panchs were accompanying them. They moved to the road at around 10 am and started their protest staging day long dharna. Later, Tehsildar Kotranka and SHO moved to the area and assured the public to organise their meeting with the senior officers tomorrow. Then the public opened road.
In Poonch city the people from different walks of life including traders assembled at main city chowk this afternoon and started protest demonstration against PDD authorities. They were raising slogans against Chief Minister, MoS Power Vikar Rasool, Chief Engineer and DC Poonch. The public also burnt the effigy of Government and demanded that power supply be improved. They alleged that massive curtailment has been imposed and the general public was suffering. The banking work was badly hit while those connected with mechanical/ electronic works, saw, rice mills etc are also affected. They warned the department to improve power supply position.
Meanwhile, people from Kot Firozala (Harni) in Gursai area also held protest against PDD as the villagers are without power for the last more than three weeks. They alleged that local transformer went out of order and the power could not be restored.
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