While expressing serious concern over the precarious power situation in Kashmir valley, CPI (M) leader and former MLA Kulgam, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami on Monday said governments come and go, but the electricity woes continue unabated.“We have enough water resources and despite tall claims by the politicians and the rulers of the time about solving issues, they have not been able to settle this small issue for decades. During summers, due to power woes people in Jammu suffer and in winters people in Kashmir valley have to bear the brunt of power crisis,” Tarigami said in a statement issued to KNO.He said though the Governor administration claims there is improvement in governance, reality is that the power situation is same as it was during the previous years. “There is no improvement as power supply in Kashmir has become like a miscall. Isn’t it any priority for the government to provide uninterrupted power supply to people in this harsh winter?,” he questioned.He added no power schedule is being followed on ground and even metered areas are facing long and unscheduled power cuts much to the annoyance of public. “People living in rural and far flung areas are without electricity and the recent snowfall has aggravated the crisis. People living in rural areas are compelled to arrange for alternate sources of illumination since they are facing worst power crisis.
While the people in cities and towns had to face low voltage and erratic power supply, people living in rural and far-flung areas were left without electricity. Even electricity supplied is not sufficient to charge mobile phones and laptops,” he added.“Power Development Department (PDD) has also failed to create a buffer stock of electricity transformers at district and divisional levels to address the situation surfaced due to damaged transformers. The step-down transformers, installed in every neighborhood develop technical snag, especially during winter months, and the consumers are left helpless in darkness and freezing cold till the process of lifting, repairing and re-installing a faulty transformer is completed in weeks together,” he said.He said even this small important issue like repairing of transformers is not settled despite tall claims. “Central buffers of distribution transformers need to be augmented on war footing basis with addition of at least 3000 transformers for each province of Jammu and Kashmir for ensuring the replacement of damaged transformers within acceptable time limits,” he added.Tarigami added it is learnt that state has around 60,000 transformers in system and additional buffer of 6000 transformers is just 10 percent. “The cost of this buffer will be a significant measure for tiding over the power crisis. In addition, the transformer repairing facilities have to be brought to all districts,” he said.(KNO)