Thannamandi, Mendhar villages without power

Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI/ POONCH, Mar 9: Several villages of tehsils, Thannamandi in district Rajouri and Mendhar in district Poonch are without power for the last more than three weeks as over two dozen transformers were damaged during recent rains and were not repaired or replaced by the concerned PDD authorities.
Reports from Mendhar said that about 20 transformers are lying out of order for the last more than three weeks and people of many villages including Kalaban, Chhatral and Ari are without power. The people alleged that exams of their children are going on and there is no electricity. Some areas are without power for one month. The PDD field staff was requested several times to replace or repair the transformers but the issue remained unresolved. During recent rains, more transformers and power lines got damaged.
AEE PDD, Sub Division Mendhar S S Pathania claimed that about 10 transformers are completely out of order while about a dozen partially. He said due to rains, the work could not be taken up at several places and the process of replacing the damaged ones has been started.
Meanwhile, about half a dozen villages in Thannamandi are without power supply due to damage caused to the electric transformers. Today the people from Maniyal Gali and Saj held protest against the PDD authorities and demanded action against the field staff for its criminal neglect. The people at Saj blocked road also stopped the vehicle of PDP leader Tariq Hamid Karra who was on way to Shahdara Sharief shrine and narrated him their tale of woe. The PDP leader then spoke to Chief Engineer PDD about the matter. The villagers said that they were paying power bills regularly but the power supply is not ensured to them. They are being forced to pay the bills for the non-supply of electricity which is most injustice with them.