Karachi: A severe power crisis in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) has exposed the limitations of the development promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The crisis, which has left many areas in darkness, contradicts the government’s assurances made when it revoked the region’s special status in August 2019.
The Kashmir Media Service reports that IIOJK is experiencing a dire shortage of electricity, leading to widespread unscheduled load shedding, especially affecting rural areas. A senior official from the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) disclosed that the region is facing a forced curtailment of around 1000 MW, highlighting a significant disparity between power demand and supply.
According to the Kashmir Media Service, Residents from various districts in Kashmir have voiced their struggles. Tariq Ahmad, from Kupwara district in north Kashmir, described the situation as critical, with the power supply reduced drastically over the last ten days. He noted the particular difficulties for patients reliant on oxygen concentrators and expressed a feeling of neglect by authorities.
In south Kashmir’s Shopian district, Muhammad Maqbool echoed these concerns, pointing out the challenges caused by frequent power cuts and the failure of inverter batteries due to the prolonged electricity shortage.
Additionally, National Conference senior leader, Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi, expressed deep concern over the power crisis in a statement from Srinagar. He criticized the administration for failing to ensure a stable power supply and noted that the situation this year is markedly worse than before.
The power crisis, particularly the diversion of a major portion of electricity generated from Kashmir’s waters to different Indian states, has intensified the challenges faced by the residents of IIOJK, casting doubt on the central government’s commitment to the region’s development.