Erratic power-cuts during Ramadan adding to the woes of people: Saroori

Power department failed to allot work 100 crores RGGVY Phase II project even after two years

Srinagar, June 21: - Senior Congress legislator from Inderwal, Ghulam Muhammad Saroori in state assembly, lamented the government for failing to provide electricity to the consumers of the state especially to the erstwhile Doda district during the month of Ramzan.

Saroori said that situation is like that the bulbs don’t lit for days together and even transformers massively damaged are not repaired. “The consumers are too much worried about the non-availability of the electricity that they offer to de-electrify their homes. In a situation like this it will be better to declare ‘power holiday’ in the state especially the erstwhile Doda district. The rural and far off areas are observing black outs for days together which also hampers the functioning of essential services like health,” Saroori said.

While sorting explanation from the Deputy CM who also happens to be the Power Minister, Saroori asked as to why government has miserably failed in allotting work under RGGVY phase II project in Chenab Valley and the Rs. 100 crores project sanctioned for the electrification work by the efforts of Ghulam Nabi Azad are hanging in balance due to lackadaisical attitude of J&K government towards residents of Chenab Valley.

"As to why government has failed in starting work on prestigious Rattle Hydroelectric Project (HEP), work which was abandoned by the BJP goons two years back", Saroori asked DY CM and stated that if GVK is not willing to restart the work on the prestigious project then the company should be blacklisted and afresh tenders should be floated so that locals could be adjusted and more possibilities of generating electricity could be explored so that our economy will be improved.

Saroori was astonished to know about non-approval of Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) Plan of various power projects coming up in Chenab Valley basin which include Rattle, Karthai, Pakal Dool and other projects and demanded early approval of R&R plan so that the families which are going to be displaced could be rehabilitated properly besides this local development could take place.

Congress lawmaker said Power minister failed to do anything and said handover Power ministry to someone else so that other minister could be able to run better than you. He asked the Minister for early tendering and allotting the mini power projects 1 to 10 MW of district Kishtwar and Doda to contractors so that possibilities of taping the potential energy be generate and people living in far flung villages of Kishtwar and Doda districts could be able to see the power which is still a distant dream for them. He demanded early sanctioning of receiving stations at Chatroo, Bunjwah and Kahara areas of Inderwal constituency.