Power scarcity triggers violent protests in Bijbehara; Government

Bijbehara, Dec 12: Non-availability of electricity in this South Kashmir town of district Anantnag (Islamabad) triggered violent protests here on Thursday. 
 Police had to use force to quell the protesters who blocked the Srinagar-Jammu highway for hours together.
 Reports said that early in the morning people in large numbers gathered on the highway area of the town and held protest demonstrations against Power Development Department (PDD). They accused the department of plunging them into complete darkness since almost a week.
 “Shouting anti-government and anti-PDD slogans the protesters also blocked the busy Srinagar-Jammu highway due to which traffic came to grinding halt for hours together,” reports said.
 They said that later senior officers from civil and police administration rushed to the spot and assured the protesters of addressing their problem soon. However, the protesters did not relent and continued to block the road.

 “Police resorted to baton charge to quell the protesters who retaliated by pelting stones,” witnesses said.
 They said that police also rounded up about three protesters.
 “The shops at many places also remained shut,” reports said.
 People have been complaining that the town is being subjected to unscheduled power cuts and since a week the area is completely reeling under darkness.
 “PDD does not stick to its schedule and things have turned worse since a week as we hardly get any electricity and the government seems to be casual about our plight,” said a resident Zahoor Ahmad.
 “The political parties promise us heaven as the elections approach but then fail to provide us even minimum basic amenities,” said another resident Adil Rashid.
 Executive Engineer, PDD division Bijbehara, Muneeb Ahmad said; “The maintenance work of the conductor of sub-transmission division is on and as a precautionary measure we had to snap the electricity during day time”.
 He said during evening and night time, however, the department supplies power but due to overload at times it gets affected.
 “The repair work will take around 10 days more after which electricity will be fully restored,” said Muneeb. He appealed the people of the town to use electricity judiciously to avoid overloading.