Srinagar: Residents of Kashmir Valley, which is reeling under a major power crisis, have taken to social networking sites to vent their anger with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds the power portfolio, often being their target.
“Dear @abdullah_omar, since you can’t make sure the continuity of power supply in Kashmir, just make learning #Braille compulsory,” Idrees-ul-Haq wrote on the Twitter page of the Chief Minister.
There have been frequent electricity cuts reported in the Valley over the past one month. Residents allege for every two hours of electricity supply, the Power Development Department (PDD) resorts to one hour of curtailment.
While this pattern is being followed in the city, the residents of rural areas complain that there is no power supply for several hours at a stretch.
“One fails to understand why there is so much load- shedding now as the water discharge in the rivers, feeding the power projects, has increased,” said Ghulam Hassan, a retired employee of PDD.
Many citizens resorted to sarcasm to give vent to their frustration over the frequent interruptions in power supply.
“Thanks to @abdullah_omar my family (is) again having candle light dinner, No electricity (in) Kashmir. We deserve this as (we) pay our bills in time and no theft,” wrote Arif Maghribi on Omar’s twitter page.
“Dear @abdullah_omar, try washing clothes in the icy cold water in the mornings and nights. Or having dinner in dark. But then you are who you are!” another twitterati Mohammad Faysal wrote.
Although Omar uses the social networking platform to comment on important issues pertaining to the state, he has not responded to these comments so far.
None of the officials of PDD including the chief engineer were willing to comment about the power crisis facing the valley.