Sopore areas face frequent power cuts

Sopore, Nov 5: Unscheduled power cuts in Sopore and its adjacent areas are giving a tough time to the residents by affecting their life and business.

Locals expressed strong resentment against PDD for failing to provide scheduled power supply to their localities ahead of winter.

The residents of various localities of town including Arampora, BatporaMahrajpora, Aadipora, Noor Bagh, JamiaQadeem, Amargrah, Saidpora, BrathKalan, and other nearby areas of this north Kashmir town alleged that they are reeling under hours of power cuts daily and despite repeated requests to the PDD no attention is being given to their plight.

"We are facing hardships due to the pesky power cuts during day and night hours. If PDD is unable to provide uninterrupted scheduled power supply then they don't have the right to charge us for electricity,” said GhulamNabi Malik, a local resident of Noor Bagh.

The frequent power cuts have also badly affected the business community and students adversely, said Naveed Ahmad Mir, another resident of Sopore. He said that frequent power cuts are making life more difficult during the winter season.

The residents of town accused the PDD of not adhering to the curtailment schedule.

"We are not getting even 10-12 hours of electricity in 24 hours and it is pathetic. As we are preparing for various upcoming board and other competitive exams, we are not able to study properly as electricity plays hide and seek mostly during night hours,” UzairFarooq, one of the students from BatporaSopore said. He said that it is ironic that smart metered areas are getting hardly 10 hours electricity supply in 24 hours and non metered areas hardly get 6-8 hours power supply.

The erratic power supply is more annoying than having no electricity at all, a group of residents of Noor Bagh said. They said that PDD is ignoring their sufferings. "As soon as winter approaches, the electricity starts playing hide and seek here in town.”

President Traders Federation Sopore Haji Muhammad Ashraf Ganaie said that the entire town is worst hit ahead of peak winter season. He said that the administration should take immediate notice of the issue instead of forcing “us to take streets.”

He said that the business in Sopore town also remains hit due to erratic power supply. “We appealed to the authorities to look into the matter and warned them of bigger protests if the issue is not solved soon.”

The situation in Zaingeer belt of Sopore is not different as dozens of villages including Dooru, Dangarpora, Hardushiva, Mundji, Janwara, Warpora, Hathlangoo, Saidpora, Brathkalan and other surrounding areas also complained of erratic and unscheduled power cuts in their respective areas. Electricity plays “hide and seek mostly during night hours which also affects the study of students preparing for various examinations,” one of the residents of DangerporaBasharat Ahmad said.

Residents appealed LG lead government and district administration to look into the matter.