Baramulla, July 31: J&K Peoples Conference senior vice president and former minister, Abdul Gani Vakil on Monday questioned the government’s move to install smart meters and demanded immediate stopping of their installation.
Addressing the party workers’ meetings at Botingoo, Hib-Dangerpora, and Doabgah in Sopore, Vakil, as per a party statement, said, “The LG administration has failed to understand the hesitation and resistance of the people of J&K to pay higher power tariffs due to the economic crisis, lack of avenues, rising unemployment, years of turmoil in J&K, and its obvious effect on the economic sector. What is more important is that two of the main industries of J&K, the fruit and tourism industry, have been worst affected for more than two decades, which has made J&K economically weak. The recent statement by MHA regarding unemployment in J&K, which is at a staggering 18.9 percent, should be an eye-opener for LG admin.”
Vakil also expressed solidarity with the people of Sopore and other areas in Kashmir who had to come on roads to protest against this move of the government. He expressed dismay at the manner in which the LG administration, particularly PDD, appears “hell-bent” upon imposing smart meters on the populace without even taking into account the economic crisis in an underdeveloped region like J&K.
“Our power generation potential is greater, but unfortunately, it benefits other states while J&K lives in darkness due to intermittent power cuts. J&K, being a stakeholder, does not receive the necessary supply, and under the guise of installing smart meters, the poor people of J&K were being punished and made to beg for power,” the PC leader said, adding, “Industrialised and developed states can afford higher power tariffs, but an economically underdeveloped place like J&K cannot bear to pay such high rates.”
