Protest against interrupted power supply in J-K's Bhadarwah

Hundreds of people staged a protest Wednesday against the alleged failure of the administration to restore power supply in Bhadarwah town of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir.

The protesters were agitated over Jammu Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Kumar Verma's claim on Tuesday that power supply was restored by up to 90 per cent in the snowfall effected Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts and rest would be restored by Wednesday.

Calling the statement as "irresponsible", the protesters, who assembled at Seri Bazar, area alleged the entire region was reeling under darkness after heavy snowfall on February 6 and demanded action against for his "misleading information".

"The Amar Chashma transmission tower which broke down due to heavy snowfall has not been repaired till date. The statement of the divisional head is a cruel joke with the people of Chenab Valley," General Secretary, Shri Sanatan Dharam Sabha Bhadarwah, Neeraj Singh Manhas said.

Manhas, who was leading the protest, said the entire Doda and Kishtwar district is facing electricity crisis for a week.

"We are facing immense problems due to snapping of the power supply and have to pay Rs 50 for charging the battery of our mobile phones," Manzoor Shah, one of the protesters said.

Superintendent Engineer, Power Development Department (PDD) Doda-Kishtwar, Asgar Hussain said, that some more time is required to restore the power supply in the area.

"Both PDD and NHPC employees are working overtime to restore the power supply. It will take another day to mend the damaged transmission lines in order to restore power supply in Doda but for district Kishtwar it will at least take one week more ," he said.