J&K admin withdraws orders banning blowers and heaters

Srinagar: Authorities in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir late Saturday withdrew the controversial order issued banning use of heating appliances such as blowers, heaters and radiators which had provoked sharp criticism from the locals and politicians.
The controversial order was issued on Friday by District Magistrate (DM) Ganderbal Shyambir saying the step to ban heating appliances was taken to avoid any damage to transmission lines, unscheduled power cuts and thereby causing inconvenience to the general public and disruption of services of emergent nature and particularly patient-care.
The order had also warned of punitive action against those found violating the ban.
However, on late Saturday DM Ganderbal withdrew the earlier order stating that “for efficient use of energy, its conservation and for safety of life and property, do here prohibited sale, purchase and use of banned nichrome coil based crude water heaters and crude cooking heaters, which do not conform to the relevant specifications of the Bureau of Indian Standard”.
The earlier order had come under sharp criticism from Political leaders and local people.
Kashmir is in the grip of severe cold and the minimum temperature continues to drop across the union territories of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh.
UNI