Sukhnandan warns PDD for power crisis

Former Minister and senior BJP leader Sukhnandan, Choudhary addressing a press conference at Jammu on Thursday. — Excelsior/Rakesh
Former Minister and senior BJP leader Sukhnandan, Choudhary addressing a press conference at Jammu on Thursday. — Excelsior/Rakesh

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, June 9: Former Minister and chairman Panchayati Raj Cell, BJP, Sukhnandan Choudhary today showed his grave concern over power crisis in rural belt Jammu and held the Power Development Department (PDD) and Power Development Corporation (PDC) responsible for the crisis.
Talking to reporters here, today he said despite the best efforts of LG Manoj Sinha to provide every type of relief to the people, the PDD and PDC are hell bent to compel general public to come on roads for raising concerns about their legitimate demands” said Choudhary Sukhnandan.
Chairman Municipal Committee Akhnoor, Sanjay Saraf, Chairman Bishnah Ramesh Lal, DDC Member, Bishnah Dharminder Kumar and former Chairman Municipal Committee, Akhnoor, Surinder Sharma were also present in the press conference.
He, while raising serious question on the working of the officials of J&K PDD, asked LG Manoj Sinha to order an inquiry into the negligence in ensuring the proper electricity supply and non-functioning and non-utilization of Receiving Stations.
Sukhnandan said, “As the already existing Receiving Station in Udheywala was overloaded, so new Receiving Station of 10 megawatts capacity was constructed two and half years back but it was not commissioned till date. The reason being, that the land was many feet down and it gets flooded during rainy season”.
“Similarly, in Lahori Chak, Marh, similar Receiving Station constructed about two years back. So the responsibility must be fixed that who gave clearance to these projects without proper studies? Who is responsible for the money, time and resource wastage? Was it constructed to give benefits to a chosen few? he asked?
Sukhnandan raised the issue of failure of PDD to supply electricity to the consumers of Jammu region particularly to the hot climate belt. “This is not first time in Jammu that scorching heat weave has hit the plains, it’s every year that heat weave touches the maximum temperature of 45 degrees. But why load shedding and unaccounted shutdown is taking place only this time”.
Sukhnandan said that the Department is not ready to listen to the grievances neither of common masses nor of the public representative. The result is shutdown and unscheduled curtailments. As weather experts have issued advisories for public to remain inside their homes in day time to avoid scorching heat but how they will sit inside as PDD failed to supply electricity.
He warned the officers to ensure proper electricity during peak hours to the public otherwise be ready to face consequences.