As winter descends upon the valley of Kashmir, the people brace themselves for more than just the biting cold. The pesky power cuts, an unfortunate accompaniment to the season, raise their monstrous heads again, casting a gloomy shadow over the supposed winter wonderland. These power cuts, often extending for long and unpredictable hours, not only serve as a stark reminder of the power deficit challenges but also significantly impact the lives of the people, their livelihoods, and the overall economy. The issue is not just about the inconvenience of sitting in the dark or surviving without electricity in the biting cold. It’s about students who struggle to study, businesses unable to operate, and households struggling to perform basic tasks. The unscheduled power cuts are a blow to the normalcy of life itself. The UT government despite numerous promises and provisions has not been able to provide a lasting solution to this problem. While the allocation of funds for power infrastructure development is welcome, the slow pace of improvements and the persistence of power cuts indicate a significant implementation gap. It is clear that a multi-pronged approach is required to tackle this issue. Many experts are of the opinion that there is an urgent need to upgrade the existing power infrastructure, including transformers, power lines, and grids. The UT’s infrastructure should be robust enough to withstand heavy snowfall and other winter-related challenges. Also, there should be a focus on diversifying the power generation sources. The UT’s rich hydropower potential can be utilized more efficiently, and investments should be made in exploring other renewable energy sources such as solar or wind. Furthermore, the use of advanced technology can help in the efficient management of power. Smart grids which use digital communications technology to detect and react to local changes in usage, can play a pivotal role in managing power distribution and reducing outages. Moreover, the government should also encourage and incentivize the use of energy-efficient appliances and promote conservation efforts among the public. These measures can reduce the overall demand and provide some relief to the strained power infrastructure. The need of the hour is to move beyond lip service and take this issue head-on. The people of Kashmir deserve reliable access to electricity, a basic necessity in today’s world. Government must prioritize this issue and ensure that the people of Kashmir are not marred by the darkness of power cuts during this winter. With the power situation likely to worsen in winter, government should frame a special plan to meet any eventuality. People on their part must use electricity judiciously without resorting to violations like hooking, meter tempering and wire tempering.
