KUPWARA DIARY

Kandi, Mawer residents rue hike in power tariff

The residents of Kandi and Mawer area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district have expressed strong resentment against authorities for hike in power tariff. Despite the inconsistent power supply during the winter, the residents claimed, the increase in power tariffs was unabated.

District Development Council member Natnussa Advocate Zahoor Ahmad said that the people of his territorial constituency were suffering due to unusual and prolonged power cuts. "Even the department is not adhering to its own curtailment schedule with the result over thirty thousand people of Kandi belt are subjected to severe hardships. Most of the people here belong to the labour class and the power tariff hike which has been extended to Rs 800 per month happens to be beyond the competence of locals to pay," he added.

DDC appealed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to look into the matter so that the people can heave a sigh of relief.

Decaying poles, dangling electricity wires pose

threat to Bedrah Payeen residents

The residents of Bedrah Payeen village in Kralgund area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have expressed strong resentment against authorities for failing to upgrade the basic transmission infrastructure in the area thus putting them into a lot of hardships.

The residents said that they were living under constant threat due to low-lying transmission lines which, according to them, are tied to rooftops of residential houses and trees at several places in the area.

The residents said that the electric poles were installed decades ago in the area and most of them have got damaged but nothing is being done by the department to replace the old poles. They said that the electric wire has also got damaged in the entire village which consists of over hundred households. Residents alleged that even after approaching the concerned authorities on multiple occasions they are yet to see any action being taken on ground.

Audoora villagers seek panchayat building

The residents of Audoora, Mawer, area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district Sunday said that the village was without a panchayat building for more than seven decades putting locals into inconvenience.

The residents said that the panchayat currently operates from a single room in government middle school. "We are unable to figure out why authorities are reluctant to construct a panchayat building at Audoora despite numerous representations at different quarters," they added.

The residents have sought immediate intervention of Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Ayushi Sudan in this regard so that the genuine grievance of people can be redressed.