Rameez Makhdoomi
Electricity is the very basic need of human life .But the Kashmir Valley is presenting a bleak outlook vis a vis electricity supply. The power crisis in Kashmir is reaching crippling proportions, with the supply-demand deficit reaching a record level. The prolonged spells of load shedding has become a norm in Kashmir Valley. With the result, life in kashmir has been made miserable and difficult to core.
On the other side we are aware of the fact that Kashmir possesses great capacity to harness hydro-electricity and does produce a great amount of electricity. But, inspite of that the power situation worsens as winter sets in and most of the areas of Kashmir are thrown into darkness with never ending painful spells of load shedding. To add to the woes, the power generation in Kashmir, which is said to be capable of generating more than 20000 MW power, seems by and large a Delhi-controlled affair.
From Srinagar to Bandipora to Qazigund every belt of Kashmir has been this winter hit more worse by load shedding. Pertinently, the areas like Soura, Illahi Bagh, Aloosa are complaining worst ever load shedding witnessed in recent history.
More shoddily hit is the common man on ground. Mohammad Sayeed, a commoner states – “Everybody is aware of the golden reality that as a source of energy electricity is a basic need for sustaining human life. We cannot even imagine how our lives would have been if electricity was not discovered. Looking at it from an economic growth perspective of a country or a state , the creation of energy is very essential. The Valley of Kashmir however has been facing an acute shortage of electricity for many years now .Electricity crisis and load shedding reaches to 10 hours or more in our area Illahi Bagh Buchpora .We are this winter season witnessing more terrible situation as this winter season we have seen unprecedented load shedding which has reached alarming proportions.”
Currently, we are all in Valley familiar with Load Shedding. Even our children cry frequently when electricity puts us more often into dark.
Malik Musaib, a student states, “ In our area Aloosa Bandipora and other adjoining villages the monster of load shedding has reached alarming proportions. Students consider themselves the worst affected by this rampant uncontrolled load shedding, which have brought exam preparations to a near standstill. The bad impacts of load shedding are beyond description – From Housewife to students, Professional to Labourer everyone seems to be badly hit by the current spell of never ending load shedding. Government should take necessary steps to curb load shedding before this problem goes out of hand and people are forced to protest.”
Even the working and functioning of industries in our part of the world has been badly hit over the past few years on account of cruel spells of load shedding.
Pertinently, the load shedding is more profusely hitting those students who are either attaining online education or depend upon online mediums for their education.
Critics and masses believe that the current National Conference led coalition Government is running out of ideas and rather than offering pragmatic solutions to end load shedding is just engaging in blame-game and politicking.
It is also opined by them that the non state corporations which have been having major stake in Jammu and Kashmir’s Hydroelectricity generations are currently not enjoying good repo among masses as they fell that these this companies are looting the vital resources of Kashmir especially its hydroelectricity leaving the actual stakeholders the native population in lurch.
Currently Kitchens, Study Rooms, Industrial Houses, Prayer Places all other spheres are getting badly hit by the menace of load shedding and the problem demands immediate action otherwise the lava of anger generated would bring people to streets which can have grave consequences.