Pesky power cuts continue in valley

Srinagar: Amid prolonged power cuts in Jammu and Kashmir, the state government seems in no mood to improve the power scenario or making regulatory body functional again, which is defunct for over a year now. .
As per the provisions of an Act it has been created under the State Electricity Regulatory Commission, which is a statutory body that has to determine the tariff, regulate power purchase and electricity supply in the state.
But as the state is facing power shortage there is no regulatory body that could direct the Power Development Department to ensure better power supply to the people.
The State Electricity Regulator Commission is defunct for over a year after Basharat Ahmad Dhar completed his term as SERC chairman. The vacancies of members are also lying vacant. Presently, it is functioning without chairman and the members.
“Nobody is monitoring the electricity supply in the state. As per the rules, the PDD can be summoned by the SERC and ensure better power supply is provided to the people,” an official of SERC said.
The official said the Basharat Dhar, who was then SERC chairman had directed the PDD to adhere its power curtailment schedule very strictly or face action.“Now there is no one who could issue such directives,” he said.
The functioning of the SERC holds an important significance these days as people in Kashmir are facing acute power cuts.
“We have been facing around 6 hour power cuts in a day despite our’s being a metered area that is supposed to get 24-hour electricity supply. For the last two months, we have been witnessing frequent power cuts especially in the evening and morning hours,” said Habib-ullah, a resident of Bemina Srinagar.
The residents of Batamaloo, Qamarwari, Soura, said the PDD has left them in a major power crisis in harsh cold days.
People from non-metered areas also make complaints that there has been an immense increase in power cuts. “There are several power cuts in our area. We don’t know when the power supply will remain on and off,” Ashfaq, a resident of Safa Kadal said.
Reports of poor power scenario are reaching from all districts of the state including from Jammu where there are frequent power cuts.