After 3 decades, Gujjar habitation getting re-electrified in Pulwama

Sonbanjar: A Gujjar habitation in Sonbanjar village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district is getting re-electrified after three decades.
Sonbanjar is a remote village of around 120 houses on borderline between South Kashmir’s Pulwama and Central Kashmir’s Budgam districts.
The habitation here is scattered on around 4 kilometers of undulating land.
Shabir, a resident of Sonbanjar said that 30 years ago heavy snowfall damaged the electricity transmission system in their village.
“Many wooden poles were uprooted and supply lines (wires) were snapped by snow on that year,” he said, adding that the damaged lines were lifted by then employees of Power Development Department (PDD) which cut access of around 60 houses to a 100 KVA transformer installed half-kilometer away in neighbouring Sekulo village.
He said that some houses, around 20 percent, were connected from Sekulo whereas 80 percent of households were without electricity. He said that the majority of households without electricity fall in Poswal Mohalla of Sonbanjar.
Shakeel, another resident, said that the majority of people in his village live below the poverty line. He said that the poor use candles to light their houses.
He informed that many residents have purchased solar lamps.
The villagers said that solar lights become useless for them during winters when clouds overshadow the sky.
“We are unable to charge them for several days during winters and have to use kerosene lamps or candles for lighting our houses,” they said.
The villagers were happy to know that authorities are working to re-electrify the habitation.
“Under PRI (Panchayat Raj Institution) funds around 20 new electric poles and a 63 KV transformer has been procured for Poswal Mohalla,” concerned Sarpanch, Yar Mohammed said, adding that it will cover some households but not all.
He added that rupees 30 lakh were transferred under PRI funds to PDD.
“27 HT poles, 40 LT poles and a transformer were procured and electric poles were rationalized between different wards due to which they fell short to cover all un-electrified households,” he said.
He said that the work on installing electric poles has been started and soon it will be completed.
Sonbanjar falls under revenue jurisdiction of Pulwama but is fed electricity from Char-e-Sharief Subdivision of Budgam.
Executive Engineer PDD Budgam, Nazir Ahmad assured that they will look to cover all un-electrified households.