Several persons including children living in Chopan Mohalla locality of Sohipora in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, who are without power supply since last three years due to tussle between PDP and NC political parties, have been suffering from respiratory diseases due to use of wooden torch for lighting purpose.Molvi Javid Bhat, who runs a Darsgah in the area, told GNS that many children and other persons have fallen ill due to use of these wooden torches as they cannot afford lighting gas for the purpose of light. He said that the small children have developed chest diseases due to “carelessness of PDD and District Administration”.The locals warned that if anything happens to any child or adult, the administration and PDD department shall be held responsible and they will also be responsible for the consequences. “The PDD is making only lip service. Seven households of our village are using these wooden torches,” they said.Pertinently, Nearly 35 households in remote Chopan Mohalla are reeling under darkness for nearly three years, courtesy a tussle between NC and ruling PDP.
According to locals of Chopan Mohalla in Sohipora, a 63 KV transformer and 8 tubular electric poles were allotted to the area in 2014 by the then NC MLA Kupwara Mir Saifullah, weeks before schedule for 2014 assembly elections was announced.As soon as transformer and electric poles arrived in the area in 2014, the power department snapped the electric lines from the existing transformer where from they were provided electricity earlier. This was done to prevent the excessive load to the transformer located at main road Sohipora which used to fed Chopan Mohalla besides Checkpora, Lone Mohalla and Sofi Mohalla together.After few days, the locals of Chopan Mohalla said that when the transformer was not installed, they approached local PDD authorities and were told that some local villagers have raised objections on passing of HT line through their land to the area. They said the objection was raised at the behest of some PDP activists who wanted to settle some political score with the locals of Chopan Mohalla.(GNS)