Thaindian News

Srinagar, Jan 4 (IANS) In an effort to tackle the massive electricity shortage in the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Wednesday asked the power development department (PDD) to make all efforts to mitigate the difficulties of the people.

“The operationalization of a gas turbine, resulting in additional 100 MW of power and raising the current availability from 950 MWs to 1,050 MWs daily should have an impact on the ground,” Abdullah said.

Chairing a high level meeting to review the power status in the Valley, the chief minister asked for close rapport of the administration with the people through public committees to address their grievances on account of the electricity shortage.

The chief minister asked the local district development commissioners and officers of PDD to constitute public committees in all areas and keep constant liaison with the people through these committees to ascertain power availability in the particular area and the bottlenecks hampering smooth supply of electricity.

“Managerial capacity has to be put in place to rationalize the supply and face the challenge of the huge deficit,” Omar said advising the PDD engineers to utilize the additional 100 MW of power in such a way as to provide people relief in the morning and evening hours.

The Valley is presently in the throes of a serious electric power supply crisis that has added to the hardships of the people during the winter season.

The state government has been blaming low water discharge in the rivers and pilferage by consumers as the reasons for the acute shortages of electricity.

On Monday, a student was killed when CISF guards posted at the NHPC’s Uri power station in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district opened fire at agitating locals.

Abdullah has decried the “inexcusable use of force”.

Five CISF troopers were arrested after the police registered a murder case in the incident.