Tral: Gurpal Satoora tribal hamlet, a far-flung area in Sub Division Tral in Pulwama district, received electricity supply for the first time on Friday.
Power Development Department’s Junior Engineer for the area, Harminder Paul Singh, told Kashmir Reader that some persons were resisting raising of electric poles here for some reason. “Feasibility of electric transformer was another issue,” he said.
He said that the department started work on the directions of Additional Deputy Commissioner Tral, Shabir Ahmad Raina.
Assistant Executive Engineer, Power Development Department Tral, Mohammad Maqbool and Junior Engineer Harminder Paul Singh supervised and monitored the work.
On Friday, the supply of electricity was inaugurated by the lighting up of a bulb. The first sight of electricity brought cheers among locals for whom it was no less than a dream come true.
Junior Engineer Singh told Kashmir Reader that they carried out the work, including the erection of poles and installation of wires, in harsh weather and snow to ensure electricity reaches the area. He said the work of erecting poles and installing wires was completed within 20 hours’ time.
“We have electricity for the first time. There are about a dozen houses here that have now got electricity supply. Our children could not study in the dark. Even to charge our mobile phone, we used to travel to nearby areas,” locals said.
A local resident told Kashmir Reader that the electricity supply would help his children do well in their studies.
“We are thankful to the district administration Pulwama for providing us electricity,” he said.
Bashir Ahmad, a local, said that he cannot express his happiness after his house received electricity for the very first time. “Our kids had to face hardships at night in absence of electricity. Now they can study with comfort under the light of electric lamps,” he said.
He said that the hamlet has been electrified decades after the people settled at this place.
“About 15 households in the hamlet will receive electricity for the first time,” Junior Engineer Singh said.

BILAL HABIB