Billawar: Former Minister Dr Manohar Lal Sharma todat led huge protest against unscheduled power cuts and irregular water supply in Billawar constituency. Prominent among those present on the occasion include Dr Narinder Vaid Senior Leader,Th Bhudhi Singh senior Leader,Sham Spolia Senior Leader,Tek Chand Retd Head Master, Romesh Verma senior Leader, sarpanch Mukesh Kumar, Sarpanch Puran Chand, Rajinder Verma Sarpanch, Jagdev Singh Sarpanch,Romesh Kumar Sarpanch,Romesh Bhagat Municipalty Corporator, Subash Singh Biloria Municipality Corporator, Narinder Kumar Ex Municipality President,Sunit Verma Bupar Mandal Pardhan Billawar,Rangeel Singh Makhanu, Choudhary Mahmood,Vipul Sharma Youth Leader, Nishant Sharma Youth Leader,Shiv Rattan,Dayal Singh,Ram Lal Bhatti, Ex Sarpanch Romesh Spolia, Ex Sarpanch Karan Singh, Ex Sarpanch Mohd Nadeem,Yashpal,Tilak Pathak,Sahil Verma,Capt Girdhari Lal,Mohd Saleem besides others.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Manohar said that The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is facing worst ever power crisis for the past about two months while the people of Billawar constituency have been forced to face the brunt of about 12-14 hours unscheduled power cuts during this nail biting cold.The promise of 24×7 electricity supply with the Smart Metering has been dashed to the ground as the areas where these meters have been stalled, are also facing the same crisis in J&K. The situation has gone from bad to worse within last two months as the UT Administration has failed to manage the crisis and provide some relief to the consumers who are made to pay through their nose the hefty power bills after installation of Smart/Electronic Power Meters on the street poles.The rising public anger against the Government, is forcing them to come out on the lanes and roads and lodge their protest, demanding some relief during these extremely cold days as lakhs of people have been made to spend cold nights due to this power crisis. Moreover, water supply has been badly hit in entire J&K. Rural areas are the worst hit, added Dr Manohar.
Dr Manohar said that for the last two months the power supply position in Jammu region has broken all the old records. He said in rural belt of Jammu region, hardly 10-12 hour power is being supplied. He said with this, water supply system has totally collapsed. The Government has installed Smart Meters in J&K UT. What is the fun of installing such meters if you are unable to provide power. This is total mockery of the system. The UT Administration has failed to provide power and water to the public. He said that due to worst power supply position, not only studies of the children but water supply have also been badly affected.
Dr Manohar further said that entire J&K is facing acute shortage of power. Not only in Jammu region, the people in Kashmir are also agitating against the Government for its apparent inability to cope up with the situation. Even the members of trade and industry have come out openly against the Government and pleaded to provide some relief. The Industry is also facing production losses worth crores with the afresh unscheduled curtailment.Due to 12-14 hours power cuts, there is no relief to the people.Moreover, development works and industry has also been badly suffering. Government must purchase power from Central pool if it is unable to get its proper share from J&K power projects, added Dr Manohar.
Dr Manohar demanded Union Govt to return NHPC-owned power projects to Jammu and Kashmir, so the electricity is generated through the waters of Kashmir can be provided to people of UT only at cheaper rates. Otherwise currently people are paying high charges for electricity and instead of that facing power cut of eight hours during the harsh winter season when people need the electricity most. The UT administration has recently hiked the power tariff by 18% and even then public facing unscheduled power cuts which has created panic among the public. The people of J&K are facing hardship every day following the severe power crisis but at the same time felt helpless before the dictate of the administration.
Dr Manohar questioned the timings of the power cuts. “Curtailment of electricity at morning and evening prayers in temples hours is being deliberately done to hassle us. Are you playing with our sentiments? If your intention is not to play with our sentiments, then give power during worship time in temples and cut it at other hours of the day,” he said. Earlier, people used to convey their problems to mainstream politicians and they would take complaints seriously. Now, bureaucrats are at the helm of affairs who aren’t bothered about the problems of locals,” he added. He said the frequent power cuts, especially during morning and evening, are causing them mental agony.“Our children are suffering the worst. They are unable to study in the absence of electricity,” Dr Manohar said and urged the power department to put an end to unscheduled power cuts.