Umar Raina
Ganderbal, May 18: Residents of Baba Reshi Chattergul in the Kangan area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Monday staged a protest against rising electricity bills, demanding immediate relief for poor households.
The protesters alleged that power bills ranging from Rs 1,300 to Rs 2,000 have placed an unbearable burden on economically weaker families. They accused the government and elected representatives of failing to fulfil promises of relief made during the Assembly election campaign.
Holding placards and raising slogans, the residents said many families dependent on daily wage labour are struggling to pay the bills amid rising living costs.
Speaking on the occasion, local resident Mohammad Haneef Lone said poor families in the area are finding it increasingly difficult to survive. “People who can barely manage two meals a day are being asked to pay electricity bills worth thousands of rupees. We were promised relief, but nothing has changed,” he said.
He appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the administration to look into the hardships faced by villagers. “If a labourer earns only Rs 300 or Rs 400 a day, how can he afford an electricity bill of Rs 1,800?” he asked.
Another protester, Noor Ahmad Kataria, said villagers had never witnessed such high electricity charges in the past. The 80-year-old resident said poor people in rural areas are the worst affected by the increase in power bills.
Shafiq Ahmad Kiara, another resident, accused political leaders of misleading people during elections by promising free or subsidised electricity. “They sought votes in the name of relief, but after elections nobody returned to address our problems,” he said.
The protesters demanded waiver of excessive electricity bills for poor families and implementation of relief measures for economically weaker consumers in rural areas.
They urged the Omar Abdullah-led government to intervene and resolve the issue at the earliest.