Electricity still a far-fetched dream for Gurez valley

Srinagar, Aug. 30 (ANI): Electricity remains to be a distant dream for the residents of Gurez valley of Jammu and Kashmir despite ample water resources existing in the region.

Consequently, diesel run generators have been sole means of power, a situation that has prevailed and prolonged in the region for decades.

In contrast, Gurez valley is the home to a mega hydroelectric project, the power from which will be transmitted to other states!

At present, the residents of Gurez get electricity hardly for two to three hours in a day, supplied by the diesel run generators. And these generators operate as per the available stock of diesel.

"There is so much water here. The government has to take steps to put an end to the power crisis. The electricity is supplied through diesel generators. As long as diesel is there we get electricity, but if the diesel goes out of stock, we live in dark and have to wait for fifteen days to one month for the next stock to reach our place," said Shazia Tabasum, a student.

Local authorities say that the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is constructing 330 MW power project from the waters of Kishanganga river.

"There is so much water over here. The Kishanganga hydro project has been allotted to NHPC. It will give 30 megawatts power supply out of 330 megawatts. The worst part is that the people living here won't get any electricity. I have appealed to the government that at least one percent of power should be supplied to our valley for free," said Nazir Ahmed Gurazi, MLA, Gurez.

In winters, the technical snags in the diesel generators add to the woes of the locals as they have to wait for an engineer and a technician to come all the way to their valley to fix the problems.

"We face many problems as there is no power supply here. If anybody is ill, we cannot take him or her to have an x-ray. The school children can't study without light and their time is wasted," said Ghulam Nabi, a local resident. (ANI)