Electricity is essential for human beings and more so in this hot and humid climate but it is playing ‘hide and seek’ with people and putting all in great inconvenience. The position of power is very bad and is a cause of concern for people of Jammu in particular. Consumers are suffering due to scarcity of power and water supply. In fact people are in difficulty and suffering due to the constant fluctuation of the power supply. The low voltage and so often fluctuations is characteristic of the power position in Jammu. The power problem is so acute that it has broken back-bone of people in this hot climate. The consumers are paying the electricity dues regularly but they are not getting power as required by them and thus are facing the scheduled and unscheduled power cuts day and night. The political bosses are boasting of the development and are often talking of the modernisation but the fact is that we are deprived of the basic necessities like electricity and water, thus putting all in trouble. The power position is deteriorating day by day and it is a cause of serious concern for all except those who are seated in the corridors of the power. In fact, people are suffering in this hot and humid climate because of the lack of electricity and power outage. There is no doubt that the demand of the electricity increases in hot and humid climate but the government and specifically the power development department is not increasing power supply as per demand, which is a great tragedy. The government is duty bound to provide uninterrupted power supply to consumers but they fail in this and the results are before us. LG has said that the Government is committed to provide uninterrupted power supply to the people and in this regard the strict directions have been given to development but the ground reality is that the power supply is out of the tune with the demand of power and this is bringing all of us to trouble and inconvenience. Power supply is out of gear day and night and this is a cause of concern and troubles all the people. Consumers are having sleepless nights due to absence of electricity in this hot climate and there is much inconvenience to other consumers. There are some reports that many gadgets have been damaged due to the constant fluctuations of the electricity, causing economic loss to consumers. One one hand the consumers are paying power tariff and on the other hand their power gadgets are destroyed due to power fluctuation, thereby putting them in a very difficult situation. The power curtailments have become a matter of routine and people are suffering due to it. It seems and there is no way out of this situation and the Government is in deep slumber and not paying attention to this urgent problem of the people. The power cuts are so often and the power voltage is so low and is very inconvenient to the consumers. The LG has issued strict directions to power development department for regular electricity supply but without any tangible results on ground as the people are bound to face the scheduled and unscheduled power cuts, day and night. Reducing of power cuts and improving low voltage is very necessary for the interest of the consumers otherwise we have to reel under the low voltage and continuous power cuts day and night. People are forced to live without the power in the humid and hot climate and the power department seems not bothered about this problem of the people. The people are bound to live with the acute power cuts and low voltage and so often power fluctuations and thus they are facing much inconvenience and hardships due to the disappearance of the electricity. The people are forced to use other alternatives of the electricity such as the candle lights and inverters and the inverters also are going out of gear because of the low electric voltage and also due to the power cuts which are so often and continuous. It is felt that we are living in the stone-age as we have to be content with the disappearance of the power and low voltage and power fluctuations which are becoming as routine affair. The low voltage and often power cuts and the low voltage as well as the fluctuations of the power are putting us to great hardships. Therefore, the need is that power development department should come to the rescue of the consumers and provide some succour to consumers by ensuring round the clock power supply with good voltage. But when it will happen is the question. However, we should hope for the best and be ready for worst. Anyhow the power transmission and distribution should be monitored in such a way so that uninterrupted power supply to consumers can be ensured.
Omkar Dattatray