Srinagar: Despite today’s better power generation capacity of J&K, it caters to other states, but the common people of J&K are being forced to beg for electricity and punished under the garb of installation of smart meters.
J&K is a consumer market, not a producing market, industrialised and developed states can afford higher power tariffs, but not an economically under-developed state like J&K.
Senior Congress Leader Tariq Hammed Karra made these comments while addressing a meeting of prominent party workers at Khwaja Bagh in Central Shalteng constituency of Srinagar District today.
Apart from organizational affairs and activities, Senior Congress Leader Tariq Hamed Karra received feedback with regard to multiple issues confronting common people due to the disconnect between them and the administration in the absence of a democratic setup. Karra was apprised about the current smart meter installation process and people’s inability to pay higher power tariffs due to the economic crisis and the lack of other avenues and extreme joblessness.
Senior Congress Leader expressed surprise over the way J&K Govt especially PDD seems hellbent upon thrusting smart meters on the people without even assessing the economic crisis in underdeveloped J&K. He said our power generation capacity is better, but it caters to other states, J&K being the stakeholder don’t get the requisite power supply rather the Govt has started Installing meters which is bound to add more miseries to people on account of economic crisis and lack of other avenues and demanded that people should be provided electricity as per the past experience.
If the PDD wants to install meters in every household in J&K without caring about the pathetic conditions of the people, then the supply should be 24X7 without any interruption. He said in Jammu power supply is an urgent requirement during summer, but it is very surprising that during these hot days, people don’t get the requisite power supply.
J&K’s economy is totally dependent on tourism which also had a hit for the last three decades, Karra added and laid emphasis on addressing the people’s issues rather than forcing them (people) to come on the roads for fulfillment of their demands and told the Govt to stop diversionary and misleading tactics in J&K and focus on holding assembly elections, without any further loss of time, for the fact, only elected Govt can reach out to people and address their issues.
Karra further said that Congress Party will strongly oppose every move of the Govt which goes against the wishes of the people. People are struggling for their living, and the economic burden being put on them in one way or the other shall lead to starvation in J&K.
