Shadow Correspondent
jammu, Aug, 25:
JKPCC Vice President Raman Bhalla on Wednesday slammed LG Administration in general and Jammu and Kashmir Water Resources Regulatory Authority (J&KWRRA) in particular for increasing Water usage charges in Jammu and Kashmir. While the National Hydroelectric Corporation (NHPC) is making a fortune out of the energy generated from J&K’s water resources, the J&K’s hapless inhabitants shall have to pay through nose for every drop of water they drink or use in daily life. This was observed by former Minister while interacting with aggrieved people of Chatha Pind area of Gandhi Nagar constituency facing serious water and power crisis. Prominent among those present on the occasion include Amrit Bali Vice Chairmen Refugee Cell Congress, Gurmeet Kour District General Secretary, Pawan Kumar Bhagat, Parshotam Lal, Dr.Janak Raj, Asha Devi, Kewal Bhagat, Sakinder Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Mahinder Choudhary beside others.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla said that as the mercury continues to soar above 40 degree Celsius in the region, electricity and water crisis further worsens in Jammu where people are suffering because of the prevailing situation while LG Administration busy in making tall claims of doing everything in all the sectors. The intense heat wave is leading to power shutdowns and tripping of the system, which in turn severely affecting water supply thus multiplying woes of the Jammuites, who are left with no option other than to curse the Government for the crisis.Notwithstanding the Commissioner Secretary’s direction for no planned shutdown in the region owing to scorching heat, electricity supply in various parts of Jammu remains off for hours together. “Our system and supply are not adequate to ensure no power cut, particularly during the summer month, when the transformers and circuit get damaged because of intense heat,” said Bhalla.
The consequent affect of frequent power breakdowns on water scenario can be gauged from the fact that power tripping for only one and half hour hampers supply of around 7.5 lakh Gallon water and the system used to experience power tripping for several times a day.In the summer at peak and owing to power tripping problem, various areas of Jammu are reeling under water scarcity.
Bhalla said that there was demand of 65 million gallons water per day in the Jammu Urban area whereas the supply was only 50 million gallons with the result that there is shortage of 15 million gallon water each day.Even as the water scarcity is a routine feature in Jammu, particularly during the summer months, the Government has neither some long term nor short term planning to meet the crisis.Further, the Department of PHE has only 82 tankers in entire Jammu province for supply of water to the areas reeling under scarcity. Bhalla claimed that water scarcity in various parts of Jammu but is due to tripping of power which is main reason behind the inadequate supply even as drying up of Tawi river and decreasing ground water level because of intense heat are the other factors contributing to the crisis.To cope up with the crisis, LG Administration must press into service some private tankers also for supply of water to the affected areas.
Bhalla expressed anguish over the ‘denial’ of basic facilities to the people of Jammu region, alleging that the government had failed on all fronts. “For the last few days, the people of Jammu region are experiencing scorching heat. The shortage of water supply and unscheduled power cuts has further compounded the hardships of people,” he said.Taking a dig on government, the Congress leader said since the formation of BJP government, there had always been a crisis in water and power sectors. “We can say this is not government but a collision government,” he said.“People are craving for power and drinking water facilities, especially in these months of scorching summer, but the administration seems to be in deep slumber which is evident from frequent and unscheduled power cuts for hours and scarcity of drinking water in most of the areas of Jammu,” he added.
Bhalla maintained that in contrast to claims made on provision of adequate power supply for summer months, the JPDCL has miserably failed to come upto the expectations of people of the region as things have gone haywire and power outage has become synonymous to scorching heat under which Jammu is reeling these days.He urged the higher ups in the department to take appropriate steps and ensure stable and power-cut free electricity supply to cater to the needs of the people reeling under sweltering heat of peak summers.
Bhalla appealed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to address power crisis in Jammu region after he received several distress calls from various areas of Gandhi Nagar constituency regarding unscheduled power cuts. Bhalla said the deepening power crisis is also adversely affecting water supply in Jammu as the PHE Department cannot lift the required quantity of water due to power outages.
He further alleged that the PDD officials were either not answering people’s calls or shifting blame on other departments.
Bhalla regretted that the acute power crisis has not only made the life of a common man miserable in the towns and cities but also in the hinterland and remote areas during the ongoing summer season. He said electricity is playing hide and seek for last many days in this scorching heat while the BJP sitting in power had promised to provide 24 hours uninterrupted electricity supply to the people of Jammu.He said that the Jammu people are made to struggle amidst scorching heat for power and water supply which are the essentials of life during this season. While stating that the Covid patients have also badly affected due to this unscheduled power cuts, he appealed Principal Secretary to immediately review the ground situation by paying a personal visit to grid and power stations.Bhalla while expressing his anguish over power crisis in Jammu said Government has no power crisis management mechanism in place to tide over acute power crisis during few months of acute summer in whole year. He added that with the onset of summer since last week, public hue and cry everywhere in Jammu with low voltage and frequent unscheduled power cuts, has made the lives of public worst than the hell with temperature touching above 42 degree Celsius. He appealed Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to look into the whole gamut of power crisis in Jammu.
