Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Thursday expressed concern over the proposed move of government to privatize power distribution companies (DISCOM) in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the measure will impinge on people’s right to free energy.
While expressing dismay over the proposed privatization of power distribution Sector (DISCOM) in Jammu and Kashmir, party’s Members of Parliament, Muhammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi, in a joint statement, said the ongoing situation and the previous clampdown have broken the back of J&K’s economy and that the privatization of power distribution will further push people to wall.
“The measure will hit the BPL consumers, and middle class, and farmers who have already been at the receiving end due to the untoward situation prevailing in J&K since 2016. As per the new proposed privatization measure, a central enforcement authority will be set up which will disempower the regulatory commissions and will further add to the centralization of power authority in wake of no consideration for problems faced by locals,” the duo said.
Terming the proposed measure as draconian and anti poor, MPs said the proposed privatization will snatch the access to electricity from economically challenged sections of the society. “The decision is solely a prerogative of a popularly elected government.” they said.
MPs argued that the proposed measure will affect the ecology as the energy starved people will take to burning of wood. “It is quite obvious that people will ultimately bank on wood and other non renewable and harmful resources to meet their energy demands,” they said.
