Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Feb 23: The residents of Zafran Colony, Pantha Chowk, Srinagar Friday expressed their strong resentment against the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Ltd (KPDCL) for resorting to unscheduled and irritating long power cuts in the area stating that they pay electricity bills well in time.
Lateef Ahmed, a resident of Bilal Lane, Zafran Colony, Srinagar said that despite the fact that cables have been laid a long back and digital meters stand installed in every house and shop in the area, yet the Power department resorts to unscheduled power cuts. “Irony is that sometimes, power remains off through the day on the pretext that tree branches are being cut somewhere and most of the time, supply remains snapped for two to three hours together,” he said and registered his protest against the power department for resorting to unscheduled cuts.
Adil Bashir, another resident of Zafran Colony, said that he pays power bills well in time. “My monthly power bill comes between Rs 1700 to Rs 1900. I have a digital meter installed and I pay my bills online days ahead of the last date. Of late, power cuts that are too unscheduled and untimely are frustrating us. This is injustice,” he said. “Cables were laid, new transformers installed and digital meters installed with a promise that there will be round the clock electricity, but KPDCL has failed to keep its promise.”
He said that in the morning power remains off from 8 to 9:30 am when it is supposed to remain on from 8 to 10 am. “Power is restored at 9:45 am just for 15 minutes only. This is how KPDCL follows its own curtailment schedule,” said Adil.
Showkat Ahmed, another resident said that people of the entire colony cooperated fully with the KPDCL during the installation of meters, laying of cables and installation of transformers with a hope that power will remain on for 20 hours if not 24 hours. “But I am sorry to say that despite paying our bills in time, electricity supply to the entire Zafran Colony is disappointing,” he said.
A group of women residents, while expressing their anger against the irritating power cuts in the area, said that there seems to be no fun in having cables and digital meters. “We urge the KPDCL Chief Engineer to come clear as to why the department resorts to pesky power cuts in our area. We also request the Secretary KPDCL and LG Manoj Sinhaji to look into the issue and make the department accountable over the issue of unscheduled cuts in Zafran Colony,” they said. Many elderly residents of the colony seconded the women and stated that the power department should follow curtailment scheduled in spirit. “Earlier, there was an excuse that cuts were due to dry spell but now we have witnessed snowfall and also abundant rainfall. There is no excuse now for resorting to long unscheduled cuts,” said elderly Bashir Ahmed, another resident. (KNO)
