Srinagar, Nov 02: People in various areas of Kashmir complained on Wednesday about the unscheduled power outages as winter approaches. However, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited ( KPDCL) said that due to load shedding, the people are facing problems.
Consumers come from various areas of Srinagar city, which include Rambagh, Natipora, Rajbagh, Rawalpora, Batmaloo, and several others areas, complained unscheduled power cuts especially in morning and evening hours.
The consumers of these areas said that the peak winters are yet to come and they are witnessing power cuts. At many locations, users complain of the “worst” power cuts.
“For the last couple of days, we have been witnessing huge power cuts. The winters are yet to come, and the electricity scenario has deteriorated,” said Sameer Ahmad of Natipora.
Ahmad said this is not the first winter consumers have faced electricity issues, but every year in winter we witness similar power cuts.
The Chief Engineer of Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), Er. Javid Yousuf told Rising Kashmir that load shedding has increased in the Kashmir valley, due to which people are complaining about the power cuts.
The top PDD official said that people have started using crude heating gadgets, which has increased demand and supply, resulting in users facing an issue.
“People have to avoid the use of crude heating gadgets to get electricity as per the schedule, and until they do the same, they have to face problems,” the officer said.
Similar complaints were received from the North and South Kashmir districts. People complain that in non-metered areas the power situation is bad, adding that they don’t know what the situation will be like in the coming days.
“In non-metered areas of Pulwama district, people are facing the issue that they are hardly getting electricity according to the prescribed schedule,” said Ajaz Ahmad.
The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) said in the second week of November, the department issued a winter curtailment schedule. It said, subject to weather, the curtailment schedule will be issued for better electricity.
The consumers from north Kashmir’s Kupwara district also complained about unscheduled power cuts in metered and non-metered areas of the frontier district.
A resident of Kupwara , Salman Fayaz, told Rising Kashmir that the area has been facing unscheduled power cuts for many days.
Fayaz said that despite paying the electricity tariff bills on a regular basis, they were not receiving the electricity as per the schedule issued by the department.
He went on to say that the department should provide half the bills to consumers as they are not providing electricity and the schedule is causing inconvenience to people in general.
The chief engineer said load shedding is increasing day by day, which is the result of power cuts. The work on two transmission lines is also in full swing, and the area falling under the lines will face a bit of inconvenience till the lines are fixed.
On being asked what measures the department is taking to prevent load shedding in the valley, the senior official said that every sub-division has formed its own teams to check the load shedding in their respective areas.
He stated that people must act responsibly and use electricity in accordance with the registered load.
