Jammu, August 20: The Power Development Department (PDD) still seems groping in the dark on how to resolve the power crisis of the Jammuites even as the department has been boasting of providing fresh impetus to the power sector in the state.
PDD has been facing flak from Jammuites for past few months about the erratic power supply and sheer discriminatory attitude towards Jammuites who are facing the brunt of scorching heat but the department does not seem bothered by the rising voices while the same department has been going out of the way to please the other region even though the power requirements of both the regions are drastically different.
While in Kashmir valley the power supply is needed mostly to light the houses and other commercial uses in Jammu the summer time prove a grueling experience for the people as temperatures keep rising and humidity shows no remorse but the department turns a blind eye towards the miseries of Jammuites to wake up only when the bills are to be collected.
It is an open secret that PDD is generating huge revenue from Jammu region with much less power supply while the revenue generation in Kashmir is almost negligible but power supply is double than the Jammu region.
Recently the hue and cry of Jammuites about erratic power supply during the peak hours of the day that put school going children under duress had little impact on the department thus giving an impression that the Mufti government has deliberately given the power ministry to Deputy Chief Minister to punish Jammuites at the hands of their own leaders.
At the same time instructions were issued in Kashmir valley for regular power supply during Ramadan while no such instructions are being issued in Jammu where power supply is need the most during scorching heat.
The callous attitude of the department was witnessed by Jammuites last night when almost the whole Jammu city witnessed a single phase current with huge fluctuations damaging numerous costly electrical appliances of the citizens even as no one from the department bothered to issue a statement as to why all this happened.
The city was put in such a condition for more than 15 hours with people facing huge fluctuation from 12 am to 2 pm damaging electrical bulbs, CFLs, fans, refrigerators and Air conditioners in the process.
One wonders why the government is charging fees from the citizens at exorbitant rates when it cannot provide the regular power supply in the state.
The voices are being raised by the people against the dictatorial attitude of the government where people are forced to pay for various services but no attention is paid to ensure that they actually receive those services like power, water and road facilities.
If we take up the condition of roads in Jammu then no vehicle owner needs to pay the road tax as the roads are in-fact not only adding to their miseries but also damaging their vehciles which means the government must compensate the vehicle owners rather than enforcing the road tax.
Similarly the PDD must be asked to compensate the consumers for irregular and erratic power supply rather than being forced to pay the electricity bills without getting the power as promised.
It is time the government wakes up from deep slumber before the people of the state come out on streets to demand services at par with the private operators or stop paying taxes.