BJP seeks Guv's intervention as power cuts leave Jammu residents fuming

Slamming Jammu's electricity department for frequent power cuts as the mercury touches 44 degrees Celsius, the BJP Friday sought the intervention of Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik to ensure relief for the people.

The Santra Morh-Hazuribagh-Anandnagar-Bohri belt is the worst affected region in Jammu division, where locals say they are getting electricity for less than eight hours daily.

Hundreds of locals in Bohri protested against the power cuts on Friday. They burnt effigies of the Jammu and Kashmir government and alleged wrongdoing on part of the Power Distribution Department (PDD).

"The day temperature in Jammu has crossed 44 degrees and the PDD is sleeping even as the region faces a major power crises," BJP State Spokesperson Balbir Ram Rattan told reporters here.

Calling the PDD as the worst performing department, Rattan accused the officials of the department of being apathetic to the miseries of the consumers.

The State unit of the BJP is concerned for the people and urges the Governor to pull up the PDD in order to ensure regular supply of electricity in the region, he said.

The BJP leader claimed that the PDD had few years ago installed electronic metres in several areas, assuring them of 24x7 power supply.

"Even last month, the government categorically assured that areas with such metres would get uninterrupted, regular supply, which proved to be a lie," Rattan said.

He further alleged that the PDD officials were either not answering people's calls or shifting blame on other departments.

"It is not only power cuts, but the lack of coordination between PDD and IRCON which is making people suffer," he said.

"Whenever there is case of burning of Miniature Circuit Braker (MCB) boxes and damage to the transmission lines, PDD straightway refuses to respond saying that the matter is responsibility of the IRCON," he added.

The Chief Engineer, PDD, should explain as to why the people are asked to contact IRCON in case of any fault in the line or damage to MCB, when it is his department which levies and collects electricity charges from the consumers, the BJP leader said.