PAMPORE: A shutdown was observed on Friday at Pampore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district against frequent breakdown of transformer.
Over 300 residents assembled at Tehsil office Pampore and staged a peaceful protest against Power Development Department (PDD). They raised slogans against PDD. Their representatives held a meeting with Tehsildar Pampore Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-Din, AEE STD Arshid Ahmad and SHO Manzoor Ahmad.
The representatives demanded an inquiry into the cause behind recurrent damage in power department’s receiving station in Pampore.
An elderly resident told Kashmir Reader that their area is reeling under darkness due to negligence of officials posted at the receiving station.
He added that 6.3 MVA transformer is suffering frequent damage. “It was damaged on December 1, 2019 and the town was without electricity for about a month. “After many requests, the transformer was installed again after rectification some 15 days ago.”
“We were happy and were expecting electricity as per schedule but to our surprise it again suffered damage,” the residents said.
The dismayed residents accused officials posted at the receiving station of taking commission from a private company where they get the transformer rectified.
“The employees get a commission from the private company. The company uses substandard material due the which the transformer gets damaged repeatedly,” the locals alleged.
They demanded an inquiry to expose the wrongdoers of PDD.
Tehsildar Pampore Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-Din assured them that he will seek an inquiry into the matter.
“We will press on PDD officials get the damaged transformer rectified as soon as possible,” he said.
The residents further told Kashmir Reader that the underground lines at the receiving station be checked to find out whether they are property earthed or not. They also demanded that 6.3 MVA transformer be merged with another transformer so that the load gets equally distributed and the transformer is saved from suffering frequent damages.
“The transformer was damaged six times in last 3 years,” the residents said, adding that they were assured by ADC Awantipora and DC Pulwama in a meeting last month at ADC Awantipora office that the two transformers at the receiving station will be converted into a single transformer – “but the PDD officials paid no need to their instructions.”

BILAL HABIB