HAJIN: The residents of Hajin town in Bandipora district on Thursday staged a massive protest against unscheduled power cuts in the area.
Eyewitnesses said that protesters assembled at Sheikh Mohallah Hajin and blocked the Bandipora -Hajin road for hours together against power shortage in the area.
The protest led to heavy traffic jams at Hajin main market for a long time.
Talking to Kashmir Reader one of the protesters Nisar Ahmad said that we are not receiving the electricity as per schedule forcing us to hit the street. We receive only two to three hours of electricity in a day which is sheer injustice to this particular area. He said
He added that we appeal to the concerned authority to look into the matter and provide the electricity as per schedule so that we don’t need to suffer in this harsh winter which is affecting us badly .
Sajad Ahmad another protester said that we have brought this issue several times in notice of concerned AEE, JE but they don’t pay heed. We have also mentioned in their notice that their employees at grid station , ground staff are responsible for the overload and many other problems but AEE instead of investigating the matter is acting like a mute spectator and never dared to visit the area.
Recently there was a sudden hike of electricity tariff and irony is that we are facing long power cuts. This is sheer discrimination to this town .he said
The residents threatened to hit the streets again if the power department did not provide the electricity as per the schedule.
After the assurance of Tehsildar Hajin and PDD official protesters disperse peacefully.
Executive Engineer Power Development Department (PDD) Ghulam Qadir accused people of power pilferage and misuse, disrupting the whole of the power supply.
The system is too overloaded and we are seeing people using electric heaters and other heavy consumption power gadgets.This is why there are frequent power cuts .
We have no problems to provide hassle free electricity to the area neither we are doing it deliberately, but it is the use the heaters,boilers that burdens the system leading to power curtailment.

GOWHAR MAQBOOL