Imtiyaz Pandow
Budgam: Scores of residents from several villages of Beerwah area on Tuesday continued their protest at Hanjigora village in central Kashmir’s Budgam district for the second consecutive day against Power Development Department (PDD) for alleged failure to ensure proper electric supply to the villages.
The residents from Hanjigora, Kralnew, Chanapora, Zabgula, Kulhuma, Ramhuma and other villages blocked the Khansahib-Beerwah road to press for their demands.
They demanded the shifting of electric supply from Beerwah receiving station to Watrihal receiving station.
Firdous Nabi, a local said, “Despite approaching the authorities umpteen times for the shifting of power supply of these villages no action was taken by them.”
“We are facing power curtailments as Beerwah receiving station is overloaded . The Watrihal receiving has a huge capacity and same was approved by the concerned department,” he told INS.
“The estimate for the shifting of electric supply is already approved but we are being ignored for no reasons,” he added.
Protesters asked that if the estimate of shifting of electric supply has been already sanctioned, then why concerned authorities were not acting upon it?”
When contacted Executive engineer PDD, Nasrullah Jan said, “We have forwarded the proposal for shifting of these villages from Beerwah to Watrihal receiving station to higher authorities but the estimate has not been approved.”
“Soon the estimate is approved, all these villages would be shifted from Beerwah to Watrihal receiving station,” Jan added.