KINS Correspondent
Jammu, Jan 12 (KINS): As the winter chill tightens its grip on Jammu, residents of Sunjwan—particularly those living along Barmani Road near Shiv Mandir and in parts of Green Valley—continue to reel under an unending spell of erratic electricity supply, triggering widespread public anger and distress.
Despite repeated complaints, there appears to be no relief from frequent and prolonged power breakdowns, with locals alleging that the situation has worsened with each passing day.
Residents said electricity outages have become completely unpredictable, with no fixed schedule or prior information. “Power comes for a few minutes and then snaps again. This cycle continues throughout the day and night,” said Naseer Ahmad, a local resident of Barmani road green valley. “It is impossible to plan even basic daily activities, especially in this cold weather.”
The problem, according to locals, becomes particularly severe during morning and evening hours when electricity demand peaks. Families depending on electric heaters, geysers, and cooking appliances are bearing the brunt. “We are forced to sit in the cold for hours. Children and elderly people are falling sick, and students are unable to study,” said Aliya, a resident of Green Valley.
Women residents voiced strong resentment, stating that household chores have become extremely difficult due to the erratic supply. “Cooking, washing, and even basic cleaning get disrupted every day. The power cuts leave us helpless,” said another resident, adding that the situation sharply deteriorated after December 25, when outages turned into a daily ordeal.
Locals also pointed out that this is not a new issue. A similar power crisis had surfaced around the same period last year, indicating what residents called a “recurring seasonal failure” of the system. “Every winter we are made to suffer. Authorities wake up only after public outrage,” said a senior citizen from the area.
Frustrated by the continued neglect, residents have made a direct appeal to the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, who also holds the Power Department portfolio, to personally intervene and ensure uninterrupted electricity supply. “We urge the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take serious note of our plight,” said locals in a joint appeal.
Meanwhile, officials from the Power Development Department (PDD) admitted that the problem persists but cited technical reasons. A senior official said, “Frequent breakdowns are occurring due to system overload. The excessive and unauthorised use of heating devices during winter puts enormous pressure on the existing infrastructure.”
However, residents rejected this explanation, arguing that genuine consumers are being punished for the faults of others. “Why should law-abiding people suffer because of power theft?” asked a local trader. “The department should crack down on illegal connections instead of imposing blanket outages.”
People demanded strict inspections and immediate action against electricity theft, along with urgent upgrading of infrastructure in Sunjwan and adjoining areas. “If the department knows the cause, why is no concrete action being taken?” questioned another resident.
They demanded time-bound remedial measures, improved load management, and a transparent power supply schedule.
“The government talks about development, but what kind of development is this when people are shivering in the dark?” a resident remarked.(KINS)
