Frequent power cuts plague dozens of Budgam villages

Budgam, Jan 8: Inhabitants of several villages in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district are grappling with severe and frequent power outages, causing widespread frustration and disrupting daily life during the harsh winter season.
Villages including Sugun, Kokarbag, Shunglipora, Habbar, Drang, Khanpora, Sutharan, Lassipora, and Khanakha are among the worst affected. Locals told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the power supply has become highly erratic, with electricity available for half an over, followed by outages lasting for hours.
“The situation has worsened over the past two weeks, making it extremely difficult to manage our daily lives,” said Mahi Sarwat, a local. Another local, Mudsir Ahmad, lamented the impact on students, whose education has been disrupted due to the unreliable power supply.
When contacted, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Bashir Ahmad Kuttay acknowledged the issue, attributing the frequent outages to overloading. “The immediate remedy is to reduce the load, and we are working on this until a permanent solution is implemented,” he assured. [KNT]