Srinagar, Nov 24: Chairman Peoples Democratic Front and former minister, Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen has criticized the government for its “failure” to provide even the bare minimum power supply to consumers, which has resulted in widespread darkness in the valley.
The power crisis is having an adverse impact on the industrial sector, hospital patients, students, and the hotel industry, he said in a statement.
Hakeem expressed disappointment over the government’s inability to ensure sufficient power supply, especially considering the harsh climatic conditions. He termed it unfortunate that despite having a hydropower potential of approximately 20,000 MW, Jammu and Kashmir are compelled to rely on the Northern Grid and NHPC to meet basic power requirements.
Yaseen pointed out that out of the potential 20,000 MW, only about 1500 MW have been harnessed to date. He criticized the “unjustified delays” over the past 70 years in fully exploiting the hydropower potential, leading to poor economic growth, negligible industrialization, and a deficit in basic amenities for the people. If the hydel potential had been fully exploited, J&K could have been a power exporter, he said.
He urged the government to prioritize technical expertise and policy formation to harness water resources optimally for power generation, not only to meet internal demand but also to contribute to the Northern grid, boosting overall development in the Union Territory.
Hakeem also censured the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDC) for its “failure to produce a single unit of power in its ten years of existence”. He called for accountability and fixing responsibility for the dismal performance of JKPDC.
The former minister appealed to LG Manoj Sinha to issue immediate orders for importing additional electricity as a short-term solution to address the prevailing power woes faced by consumers.
