Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, May 13: With one 6.3 feeder transformer at Kurhama Receiving Station (RC) developing a snag about 25 villages in Ganderbal district of Kashmir valley are facing severe power crisis for last over one month with authorities at the helm of affairs taking no pains in restoring the same.
The people have come to streets number of times during over last one month to protest against the power crisis but to no avail as the PDD authorities are unable to replace the old transformer with a new one.
According to official sources the Receiving Station has two transformers of 6.3 mva to supply the electricity to various villages in Wakura tehsil of Ganderbal district. Though authorities had already admitted that the Receiving Station was overloaded and it could not cater to the load of the area as two 6.3mva transformers were often getting tripped due to over load resulting into power failure in the area.
However this time one of the transformers got completely damaged due to over load over a month back putting the 25 villages of Ganderbal district to severe power crisis. The people said that for years together they have been asking the PDD authorities to replace the 6.3mva transformers by 10 mva transformers to cater to the increasing need of the tehsil but this plea always fell on deaf years.
Had the authorities taken the cognizance of the demand and installed the higher capacity transformer the present power crisis could have been averted to a great extent, said, Parvez Mir a social activist of the area, adding the people have been put to worst kind of problems due to power failure.
The power, is an essential part of life for the daily activities in this scientific world and imagine what will be the condition of the people who had to pass over a month in total blackout he asked, adding the public resentment is brewing against the department and people are left with no alternative except to come to streets now.
“We have taken up issue from the local Executive Engineer to the Chief Engineer and other officers but they failed to replace the transformer till date. Some days back a new transformer of 6.3 mva was brought by the authorities but the people protested against its installation saying that it can’t cater to the needs of the area and burn down again due to increasing load.
People of the area who held a demonstration against the installation of 6.3 mva transformer instead of 10 mva transformer saying that it will not solve the problems and put the State exchequer to further loss. They are demanding replacing of both the transformers at the Receiving Station by 10 mva transformers to ensure smooth power supply in the area.
Expressing serious concern over the callousness of the Government towards the area Mir Ghulam Rasool a veteran Trade Unionist said that the local 250 kva transformer in Butwani village has also broke down over a fortnight back and the authorities till date have failed to replace the same also. He said the Government has taken this entire belt far granted with the result the problems of the people are compounding day by day.
Mir warned a massive agitation in case the transformer at the Receiving Station was not replaced within days.
Among the villages which face power crisis included famous tourist resort of Manasbal in the Wakura tehisl. The other villages included Butwani, Ahan, Wakura, Waskura, Zazna, Nawabad, Yangoora, Badampora, Dhab, Batpora, Narayan Bagh, Guzhama, Kurhama etc.
Abdul Rashid Malik a tailor master of Butwani said that his business is also stand still as he can’t iron the clothes after sewing them. Moreover, the local factories including rice mills, flour mills, saw mills, bend saws, welding shops as well as other business units running on power have suffered a heavy loss due to power crisis caused due to breakdown of Receiving Station.
Even the school and college going students are also worst sufferers as they can’t read after 7pm in the evening and during early morning hours, said Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Malla ex Sarpanch.
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