Srinagar, Dec 30 (GNS): The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference General Secretary Haji Ali Muhammad Sagar on Wednesday expressed dismay over the prevailing power crises in Kashmir, saying the longer and unscheduled power cuts have disturbed the daily lives of people.
While addressing scores of delegations who had called on him from different parts of Kashmir, Sagar drew the attention of the administration towards the inability of the consumers to pay hefty electricity bills and said that that all the economic activities including tourism, and horticulture have come to a grinding halt in wake of the subsequent clamp down and lock downs since August last year making it infeasible for the consumers to pay exorbitant tariff, despite that administration has failed to ensure adequate power supply to consumers. “When it comes to ensuring round the clock facilities to consumers, administration is found sulking; it is only at the time of serving bills that the administration swings into action. This reveals how naïve the incumbent administration is towards the mounting problems of people,” he said.
On the occasion Party’s Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani and Provincial Secretary Showkat Mir were present. The leaders gave a patient hearing to the visiting delegations and ensured to take them up at all appropriate forums.
Sagar said that people especially the salaried class and daily wagers find themselves in dire straits completely unable to pay hefty electricity bills. The situation of people engaged with small and medium businesses, he said, is no different and that the poor lot is reeling under huge debts. “State governments across the country are taking sleuth of measures to provide succor to the people to tide over the major slump down, the economy is facing now. The continuous absence of any vital business activity has plunged people into destitution and poverty unable to make both ends meet, not to talk about paying hefty bills. Local administration should have taken a clue from the other state government had worked out a mega relief package for commercial as well as non commercial electricity consumers. Nationally we see how state governments are reducing power tariff, granting waivers, providing subsidies but nothing of that sort is being done here to assuage the problems of the people,” he said.
Since October, ever since the J&k administration shut its offices in the summer capital of Srinagar to move to winter capital of Jammu, the entire Kashmir division has literally plunged into darkness with elderly, students and patients at the receiving end of it, Party General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar said while expressing concern over the looming power crises in Kashmir. “Come winters and the valley is beset with darkness, the scenario has worsened this year drastically. The erratic power supply is playing hide and seek with computers and the government in particular the civil administration has left people to fend for themselves. The hapless consumers don’t know how to brave the ongoing chill with no adequate power supply. Amidst all the student community has incurred the major hit on account of the approaching exams,” he said.(GNS)
