Srinagar, Dec 20: People from several areas of Kashmir Monday claimed that they are facing acute power cuts from the last two days due to strike called by Power Development Department employees.
Rising Kashmir received multiple calls from residents across the valley complaining of power outage in bone-chilling cold.
The power supply in many areas of Kashmir got affected after the PDD employees started their protest against the proposed privatization.
The strike by PDD employees has impacted consumers badly. Many COVID patients are on oxygen support at their homes and disruption in the power supply can prove disastrous for them.
Around 20000 employees of PDD are protesting against the government move to merge J&K Power Development Department into the Power Grid Corporation.
The employees have been on strike from Friday midnight. They have decided not to carry out any repair and maintenance work until the government accepts their demands.
Speaking, to Rising Kashmir, Munshi Majid, spokesperson JKEEGA, said they had presented a four-point formula to the administration, but it failed to accept their demands, including a white paper on non-fulfillment of the recommendations of the unbundling report and the failure to create positions as mandated by the committee at gazetted and non-gazetted levels, regularisation of daily wagers and all power development department engineers.
They are also demanding delinking their salary from grant-in-aid (GIA) and releasing a regular budget for all PDD employees on deputation to different corporations and a white paper of service condition of PDD employees on deputation to the Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPL) and similarly situated employees deputed from the NHPC.
Meanwhile, Divisional Kashmir Kashmir P.K pole earlier said that there has been no major effect on the power scenario in the Kashmir valley due to the ongoing strike by engineering staff and daily wagers of the power development department.
Unidentified persons attempt to ‘sabotage’ govt’s efforts to restore power supply in Jmu parts
Jammu, Dec 20: Unidentified people had tried to sabotage the efforts of the administration to ensure the restoration of power supply at few locations in Jammu parts by causing short circuit and pulling out breakers, revealed the sources.
Sources in the administration said that in the Roopnagar area a wire was connected between two phases to cause a short circuit in case the system was charged, while one of the 11 KV breakers was pulled partially out at JDA receiving station at Valmiki Nagar.
“DC supply for auxiliaries in the Bantalab receiving station was completely disconnected,” the sources added.
Div Com inspects several grid stations in Anantnag
Anantnag, Dec 20: The Divisional Commissioner (Div Com) Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole visited several grid stations in Anantnag on Monday.
Inspecting the grid station at Sarnal, the Div Com was apprised that the station is functioning normally. He was informed that service delivery is being carried out as per schedule.
The Div Com interacted with the on duty staff and asked them to be punctual in carrying out their duties.
He also visited the grid station at Nai Basti Khanabal and inspected the functioning of the grid station.
Speaking on the occasion, the Div Com said that regular power supply is essentially during harsh winters and the concerned officials should ensure that curtailment schedule is adhered to.
The Divisional Commissioner was accompanied by DC Anantnag Dr Piyush Singla, SSP Anantnag Ashish Mishra and other senior officials from district administration.