Shopian: With the lowest temperature recorded in Kashmir division so far, minus 8.5 Celsius on Saturday night, Shopian district is the worst victim of the ongoing power outage in the valley.
Most people in this bone-chilling cold are forced to use candles for lighting purposes while a few areas, particularly where armed forces establishments are situated, are receiving more electricity than before, locals allege.
Locals say that some areas are receiving electricity only because high ranking officials of the power department or bureaucrats are living there.
Due to the absence of power supply in most of the district since Saturday morning, all the heating arrangements remain dysfunctional, while water supply schemes are also badly affected, resulting in water scarcity in many areas.
Many locals said that if the power department employees want to press their demands, then all areas should be equally affected. “if they give electricity in a few areas or to some government establishments, that will not serve their purpose. If they disrupt all areas, except hospitals, oxygen plants or water supply schemes, the government may bend to their demands. Else, it is discrimination to give electricity only in a few areas,” Adil Hussain, a local, said.
With the power outage completing 72 hours in Jammu and Kashmir, people are unable to get even their phone batteries charged, leaving them stranded in case of emergency. The education of children is also suffering in the absence of electricity.

Raashid Hassan