Strong message on power supply disruptions
*100 pc electricity restoration by today
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 20: In a stern warning to striking employees of the Power Development Department (PDD), Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today declared that the system will not work as per whims and fancies of some people but for 1.25 crore citizens of Jammu and Kashmir without any discrimination. He said those who were at helm for many decades didn’t want the system to get better.
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He declared that 100 percent electricity supply will be restored by tomorrow.
In a statement issued here as well as in his address to a function, Sinha said if some people think that the system will work as per their whims and fancies, it can’t be allowed.
“The system will work for 1.25 crore citizens without any discrimination. Every step of the UT administration is meant for the betterment of 1.25 crore citizens of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said he doesn’t want to name them, but some people have criticized that the Army has been called to restore electricity.
“Personnel from REC, NTPC, NHPC, and officers from the Army Engineering Corps have also come. This only shows our commitment that we restored 60% electricity yesterday and by tomorrow we will achieve 100% restoration,” he declared.
Asserting that he understands pain of the people caused by the disruption in electricity supply due to strike by the Power Department employees, he said the well-being of each and every citizen is the Government’s top priority.
“Many generations of J&K have spent their life dreaming about getting an uninterrupted 24 hours supply of electricity and we have taken the bold initiative of reforms in the power sector to realize that dream,” Sinha said.
Unfortunately, he added. the people who were at the helm of affairs for many decades did nothing; they didn’t want the system to get better to bring qualitative change in people’s lives.
“Talks have been held with those who were on strike and as on date no dues/salary are pending on part of the Government. There can be no compromise on the issue of ensuring access to the basic amenities to our people,” he said.
He added that tremendous work has been done across the Power sector in the whole country and rural areas are now getting electricity for 20-22 hours.
“Unfortunately, J&K is still deprived of that. We have made efforts in that direction. Most of you know our cumulative generation capacity is around 3500MW even though the UT has the potential to generate 20000 MW. In the last 6-8 months, the MoUs which have been signed with NHPC, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will pave way for generating 3500MW additional power in the next 4-5 years, assuredly,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
He asserted that there is no dearth of electricity in the country but the UT’s transmission and distribution systems have a limited capacity of carrying electricity from outside.
“We have worked in that direction and have been able to achieve 40% of that specific capacity building plan,” he added.
Sinha said he wants to assure that the Prime Minister has always extended his support to Jammu and Kashmir and in the last 14 months, “we have completed 236 projects to improve transmission and distribution infrastructure and the rest will also be completed, well within timelines. It pains me that despite massive progress in other parts of the country, people of J&K were deprived of minimum requirements to live a civilized life”.
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