Srinagar, Nov 20 (KNS): Kashmir is likely to face more power cuts as the Power Development Department has issued the curtailment schedule between 6-16-hour power cuts ranging from area to area.
As per the schedule, there will be six-hour power curtailment in metered areas of Srinagar and Budgam districts. The areas have been divided into three groups, A1, A2, and A3.
These areas will face two-hour power cuts in the morning between 6 am-12 pm, then two hours power curtailment between 12 pm to 6 pm, and two hours between 6pm to 12pm. However, the non-metered areas will face nine-hour power cuts, three hour each between 6-12, 12 to 6, and 6-12 midnight.
The Pulwama and Shopian will be worst affected where the PDD said it will provide only 6-8-hour power supply in a day.
The average power curtailment in south Kashmir’s two other districts-Kulgam, Anantnag will be 6 hours in metered areas and 10 hour in non-metered areas.
The metered areas of north Kashmir’s Baramulla and Kupwara districts would face 9-hour power cuts and increase to 12 hours in non-metered areas.
Another district, Bandipora would face 10 hour power cuts in metered areas and 14-hour in non-metered areas.
The metered areas of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district will face 6-hour power cuts and 12-hour in non-metered areas.
However, the consumers here criticize the new power schedule and said that there is schedule without any schedule. “People of Kashmir are paying electricity dues properly and in time and yet Valley is reeling under darkness. Government had promised it would supply uninterrupted electricity to metered areas but the new schedule has proved all these promises as hoax,” one of the senior residents here in Srinagar told KNS.
“It has been always the tactic of government to issue new power curtailment schedule when Durbar gets shifted to Jammu,” Muneer Ahmed, a local resident said.
“It is very unfortunate that officials take it easy and don’t take woe’s of people into account while passing new orders. The new power schedule will increase the woes of people here,” he said.
When contacted officials of PDD they told KNS that new schedule would be implemented in letter and spirit. (KNS)