Omar directs power dept to raise power supply in the valley

Stung by the death of a student in north Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday directed the power development department to put in all efforts to mitigate the hardships faced by the people in the valley owing to power shortage.

Altaf Ahmad Sood, an 18-year-old student, was killed in the paramilitary Central Industrial Security Force firing on Monday in Boniyar town of Baramulla district.

The 100 MW gas turbine station in south Kashmir Pampore town was made operational immediately after the Boniyar incident on the directions of the chief minister to raise the supply of power from 950 MWs to 1050 MWs.

Though running the four unit gas turbine station costs the state dearly, yet the state government has issued directions for its round-the-clock operationalisation to make available additional power to the people as shortage of the electricity was snowballing into a major political and social issue.

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

Omar Abdullah said the district development commissioners and officers of PDD should constitute public committees in all areas and keep constant liaison with people through these committees to ascertain the power availability in the particular area and the bottlenecks hampering smooth supply of electricity.