Magam grid station capacity being increased by November says CE PDD
Arjumand Shah
Srinagar, May 18 (KINS): Residents of several areas of Budgam district are up in arms against Power Development department for providing them only eight hour power supply.
The residents of Magam, Beerwah and Khaag Tehsils who receive electricity from Ahmadpora Magam Grid Station complained that the erratic power supply compounds the problems of common people. These areas fall within the jurisdiction of former chief minister Omar Abdullah’s assembly constituency and has around 2 lakh population.
“We don’t get proper power supply even in the ongoing holy month of Ramadan. Even during Iftar and Sehri times, we face unscheduled power cuts. We get less than eight hours power supply in a day,” Ajaz Ahmad, a local resident of Beerwah told news agency KINS.
Ajaz said the authorities were not addressing the issue of power cuts even as they approached Power Development Department (PDD) officials on several occasions.
“The more hydroelectric power projects being set up, the more electricity shortage we face. Students have to study under candle light,” said Arif, a BA student of Khaag. Arif said they were even not able to attend online classes due to power shortage. “We are being pushed to the stone age,” he said.
The residents accused the PDD of playing a ‘cruel joke’ with ‘rural people’ by resorting to unscheduled power cuts from past ‘several’ months.
They said without any accountability the PDD department is taking them for a ride.
The villagers allege that the situation has gone from bad to worse during the past few months.
Chief Engineer PDD Aijaz Ahmad Dar said there won’t be any improvement till capacity of Magam grid station is increased. “We are upgrading the grid capacity by November this year, then only there will be improvement in power supply,” he told news agency KINS.
