Power shortage and health services

Kashmir is reeling under severe power crisis for quite some time now. The shortage is affecting various fields of life. Reports indicate that the disruption in power supply is affecting some of the necessary facilities in some of the government health hospitals in rural areas. Several health facilities do not have an alternative source of electricity when the power supply goes off.

Some hospitals do not have the generators to get the electricity. While at some health centres the generators are non-functional because of the faults. When the power supply goes off various tests and medical procedures are not being conducted and the patients suffer.

There is a need to provide uninterrupted power supply to all health facilities - be it major hospitals or the primary health centres. In case there is some disruption in power supply, alternative arrangements must be made for providing electricity. Generators must be provided to those health centres not having it. Wherever generators are not in a working condition those should be repaired. Maintenance of health services is important and every effort should be made to keep the services going. Steps must be also taken to improve the overall power scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.

In view of the decreasing power generation from the hydroelectric power projects in Jammu and Kashmir this time because of the very low water level in rivers, the power development department (PDD) has been left with no option but to purchase more power from outside. The increasing demand for power in autumn and winter, and low power generation is widening the gap between demand and supply, particularly during the peak hours.

Whatever power being bought from outside, is unable to meet the requirements. Purchasing of more power from outside can improve the deteriorating power scenario. The arrangement has to be made till the hydroelectric power projects in J&K get back to their normal power generation position.

The PDD says J&K government is suffering huge losses due to power purchase bills since the revenue collected from consumers is falling far short of power purchase expenditure. But some way out has to be found out to come out of the present power crisis.