Pulwama, Apr 03: The residents of Umar Colony Koil village of Pulwama district, Wednesday said that the Power Development Department (PDD)installed the smart meters on the wood logs, tree trunks, and high-tension electric poles and also urged authorities to conduct an inquiry into the installation of electric poles and laying of LT lines in their area since 2020.
Expressing their commitment to abiding by the law, the residents emphasised their cooperation with various government departments for the execution of developmental projects in their locality.
They specifically pointed out the recent initiative by the PDD to install smart meters at Wani Mohalla also named as Umar Colony which they welcomed and appreciated.
However, the residents including Naseer Ahmad, Rizwan and Rhyan raised concerns over the placement of these smart meters, highlighting that they have been installed on wood logs, tree trunks, and high-tension electric poles.
This, they fear, poses a risk of potential fire incidents in Wani Mohalla (Umar Colony).
Furthermore, the residents alleged that the electric poles, which were sanctioned for their locality by the PDD since 2020, were allocated to certain individuals with connections, referred to as “blue-eyed,” rather than being installed for the benefit of the community.
In light of these concerns, the residents are calling on the authorities to ensure that the smart meters are installed on electric poles instead of tree trunks and wood logs, in order to mitigate the risk of fire incidents and protect lives.
The residents said that approximately 22 poles were sanctioned by the PDD for the locality since 2020. However, the residents claim that only two electric poles have been installed on the ground.
Demanding transparency and accountability, the residents are urging authorities to conduct an inquiry into the installation of electric poles in Wani Mohalla (Umar Colony).
Executive Engineer, PDD Pulwama, Mohammed Maqbool, said that he has to check the number of electric poles sanctioned for the locality.
He ruled out possibility of transferring electric poles sanctioned for a particular locality or to some other place.
He said that records are scrutinised by multiple committees to ensure transparency.
He added that sanctions are accorded for a particular area and installation of an electric pole within that area can’t be seen as a violation.
He acknowledged that it seems that the locality is deficient in basic electricity infrastructure.
