Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: Entire Opposition including National Conference, Congress and PDF members today staged a noisy walk-out in the Legislative Assembly in protest against “acute power shortage” in the Kashmir valley in extreme chilly weather conditions.
In reply to a question by National Conference MLA and former Minister Aga Syed Ruhullah during Question Hour in the Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister, Incharge Power Development Department, Dr Nirmal Singh said the augmentation of 33/11 KV receiving station Ichgam was sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 75 lakh.
Several members of the NC and the Congress, including Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mian Altaf, Mubarak Gul, Altaf Ahmad Wani,, Mohammad Amin Bhat, G M Saroori and Abdul Majid Larmi, raised supplementary questions about the power crisis and improving the power infrastructure in Kashmir.
The Deputy Chief Minister told the House that measures were being taken and power made available as per demand but opposition members of the NC and the Congress were dissatisfied with reply.
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Aga Ruhullah called upon the Deputy Chief Minister to “rise above politics” and ensure improvement in power supply in the Kashmir valley, which was facing acute power crisis.
He said number of transformers have been burnt and people were in dark, awaiting their repairs. He said the Government should run gas turbines to give some relief to the people.
Dr Nirmal Singh, however, denied charges of “any kind of politics” in power crisis saying Jammu also faced similar situation during summer.
Dr Singh listed number of measures which were being taken by the Power Development Department to improve power supply in the Valley including speedy repair of damaged transformers etc.
However, the National Conference and Congress members were not satisfied with reply given by the Deputy Chief Minister and were on their feet demanding that the Government should put all efforts to give power to the people of Kashmir when it is badly needed there during the winter months.
Almost all MLAs of National Conference and Congress and lone PDF MLA and former Minister Hakim Mohammad Yasin were on their feet demanding improvement in the power supply to give relief to the people when winter was at its peak.
Later, they staged a walk-out in the Assembly shouting slogans like “PDP-BJP Ki Sarkaar Mein, Andhera Hi Andhera Hai”. They protested near Well of the House briefly shouting slogans before walking out of the House.
Former Chief Minister and National Conference working president Omar Abdullah also joined the walk-out.
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