‘Ascertain distribution situation through public committees’
SRINAGAR: Chief M
inister, Omar Abdullah Wednesday asked the power development department to put in all efforts in mitigating difficulties facing people in Kashmir Valley due to shortage of electricity.
“The operationalization of Gas Turbine resulting in augmentation of another 100 MWs of power and raising the current availability from 950 MWs to 1050 MWs daily should have impact on the groundâ€, he told PDD to ascertain the status and take measures necessary accordingly.
Chairing a high level meeting to review power status in the Valley, the Chief Minister directed for close rapport of administration with the people through public committees to address the grievances of people on account of power shortage.
Omar Abdullah said the District Development Commissioners and officers of PDD should constitute public committees in all areas and keep constant liaison with people through these committees to ascertain the power availability in the particular area and the bottlenecks hampering smooth supply of electricity.
“Managerial capacity has to be put in place to rationalize the supply and face the challenge of huge deficitâ€, he told the PDD asking them to utilize the additional 100 MWs of power in such a way as would help the people to have relief especially in the morning and evening hours.
Under the directions of the Chief Minister a team of PDD officers led by Minister of State for Power, Shabir Ahmad Khan and comprising of Principal Secretary Power, Sudhanshu Pandey is currently on tour of the Valley to look into the public grievance on account of availability of electricity.
The team has already visited South Kashmir and parts of Srinagar yesterday. It is scheduled to visit other parts of Srinagar and Budgam district today while during next couple of days the team will visit Bandipora, Ganderbal, Baramulla and Kupwara districts and ascertain the functioning of power installations along with availability of power to the people in these areas.
The meeting was participated by Minister of State for Power Shabir Ahmad Khan, Principal Secretary Power Development Department, Sudhanshu Pandey, Development Commissioner Power Manzoor Ahmad, Chief Engineer Electric Maintenance Kashmir Muzaffar Ahmad and various other Chief Engineers and Engineers of Power Development Department.
Giving brief about the power position in the Valley, the PDD officials said that due to 100 MW increase in power supply position in the Valley by pressing in service Pampore Gas Turbine by the Chief Minister, the department would look into revising the power supply schedule giving further relief to the people.
The meeting decided that the PDD would monitor the supply position of power feeder-wise and take measures about improvement accordingly. (KMW News)
