STATE TIMES NEWS
AKHNOOR: Annoyed over the frequent power outages in Jammu and Kashmir, hundreds of people from Akhnoor led by Atul Sudan, youth leader and social activist gathered at Nirdosh Chowk and staged protest. Gathered people including Sarpanchs, Panchs and prominent people criticised LG administration for unprecedented power scenario situation during the peak summer. They burnt effigy of LG Administration and raised slogans against PDD Department and LG Administration.
Sham Singh Langeh and Sarpanch Ganesh Dass while addressing media said that the common man is facing nightmarish experience with no proper schedule of the power in the region which is unacceptable as people were expecting round the clock supply under the LG’s administration.
Social Activists Ritesh Gupta and Sushil Sharma while addressing said that the shortage of power supply has led to scarcity of water in the area. LG should take cognizance of the matter and issue necessary instructions to the PDD authorities for immediate action to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the people. They allege those in Power at center claiming to provide “Bijli Muft” had made J&K “Bijli Mukt.”
Expressing concern over the worst summer power crises in decades in Jammu, Atul Sudan said, “Over the past fortnight, most parts of the Jammu division especially rural areas have received electricity supply only for about five to six hours daily that too in intervals ranging between 15 minutes and half an hour. The rising mercury, heat wave, and unscheduled power cuts in several parts of Jammu province have started affecting residents of Akhnoor and all villages very badly. Such a crisis has never been witnessed in the last three decades.
He said that the PDD should not force the people to come out in protest and block the roads in protest against their inefficiency. Suggesting the administration to go for purchase of power like the governments in the past to overcome the crisis, Sudan said the silence of the administration over the crisis is beyond the tolerance of the people who are reeling under rising mercury. He came down heavily on the administration for the worst power crisis and warned the Government to take immediate steps to improve the situation before it further worsens. He warned if soon the power crisis is not resolved a mass protest will be launched for which the LG led JK administration will be the responsible.
Others present during the protest are Adarsh Bakshi, Panch Arun Chib, Panch Sunil Kumar, Panch Mukesh Kumar, Suman Singh Chib, Jindo Chib, Ex President GDC Akhnoor Ayush Singh Jamwal, Nazar Singh, Manikaran, Ashok Takayia, Sagar Hans, Ashwani Sharma (Rinku), Deepak Sharma, Dheeraj Kumar, Shubham Singh, Raman Sharma, Bittu Sharma, Ankush Sharma, Munil Kumar, Lucky Mehta, Rahul Sharma, Labbu Singh, Shubham Jalotra (Lambad), Abhi Singh, Devinder Sharma, Harsh, Pranav, Mukesh Kumar, Jugal Kishore, Vansh Sharma, Deepak Magotra, Krishan Lal, Vishal Sangral, Raju Sharma, Anmol, Sanjay, Bharat, Samuels, Raghav, Sahil etc.