Non-availability of power, water supply leads to protests, road blockade

Excelsior Correspondent

People protesting against non-availability of power and water at Satwari on Thursday.  -Excelsior/Rakesh
People protesting against non-availability of power and water at Satwari on Thursday.
-Excelsior/Rakesh

JAMMU, Sept 18: Expressing their resentment on the erratic power supply, inhabitants of flood affected area Phylian Mandal and adjoining areas today come on roads and held a massive protest demonstration against Power Development Department (PDD) and Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department at Satwari Chowk here today.
Hundreds of inhabitants including men, women, youth and kids from Phylian Mandal and adjoining areas assembled at Satwari Chowk and blocked the Jammu-Pathankote National Highway. The protestors sat on road and blocked the road, leading to long traffic snarls.
Besides this they were shouting slogans against the Government, PDD and PHE authorities for making the life miserable of Phylian Mandal and adjoining areas during the ongoing humid weather conditions.
Talking to Excelsior one of the residents revealed that during the ongoing humid weather conditions and due to recent flash floods in Phylian Mandal and adjoining areas the inhabitants of the areas were facing hardships particularly the old age persons and the kids due to non-availability of power and water, which got snubbed due to recent vagary of weather.
He added that power supply in the area is off for past over one week, due to which the water supply to the area has also got disrupted.
On getting information, police team from Satwari Police Station led by SHO Suhail Rashid rushed to the spot and assured the protestors that their demands regarding power and water supply will be redressed at the earliest.
After the assurance, the protestors dispersed and the vehicular movement was restored on the Jammu-Pathankote National Highway.
Meanwhile, the residents of Upper Gadigarh also held protest against PDD for not replacing the damaged transformer this evening. The protestor blocked the Airport road near Satwari and raised slogans against the PDD. The protestors were assured by the police that the transformer will likely be replaced tomorrow morning.