by Babra Wani
SRINAGAR: The Kashmir power distribution corporation limited Kashmir (KPDCL) is making headlines again, though for all the wrong reasons.
The recent incidents of Soura (Srinagar) and Lidroo, (Pahalgam) resulted in two deaths and raised some serious questions on the corporation’s ground zero operations. While the corporation is working on installing smart meters in some areas, people from other areas are crying to the authorities for their pleas to be heard.
Soura Incident
In the Mir Mohalla, Awanta Bhawan, Soura area, which is located in the city outskirts a man lost his life to the negligence of the power department, the residents of the area alleged. The residents told local media that the power department had snapped the electric connection in the locality after some residents protested against the installation of smart meters.
Residents said the deceased man was on oxygen support and the snapping of power lines disrupted the air supply.
The residents alleged that the man, Muhammad Aslam Mir, was on oxygen concentrator support, and passed away due to the lack of oxygen supply when the power department snapped the electricity to the area after protests against installation of smart meters.
The locals have protesting against the KPDCL and are seeking action against the officials who snapped the power supply.
“My sympathies are with the family, if there was any such medical emergency, there should have been necessary alternatives or arrangements made,” a senior KPDCL official said. “Yes, the electricity was snapped to the area as the people did not allow the installation of smart meters.”
Lidroo incident
Located in South Kashmir’s Anantnag, residents of a small village Lidroo started panicking when a high-tension wire fell on a cow shed. The incident left four people injured among which one Mehraj ud din Reshi, a resident of nearby village Virsaran, succumbed to his injuries.
The injured were identified as Mubeena Bano wife of Sajad Ahmed Bhat, Naseema Bano wife of Nazir Ahmed Bhat and Nayeem Ahmed Bhat son of Sajad Ahmed Bhat all residents of Lidroo.
The injured were shifted to District Hospital Anantnag in Janglat Mandi where the two women were discharged yesterday and Nayeem who is a student is still undergoing treatment for his injuries. He has suffered some serious injuries and burns to his face. The doctors have asked him to consult plastic surgeons in SKIMS Soura for further treatment.
The villagers of Lidroo told this reporter that the wire was hanging for the past twenty years. According to village elders they had time and again requested the authorities to change the location of the power transformer, which is located on the roadside as there were houses nearby and people and cattle often pass by it, but their pleas were not heard.
Recalling the incident the residents said that the high-tension wire passed over the top of the cowshed. The wire somehow came in contact with the cow shed which resulted in a fire. And that is when the unfortunate incident took place. Eye witnesses said that when the fire broke out in the shed, the deceased Mehraj went to extinguish it but got stuck. The two women and the young student went to save him and got injured in the process. All four of them were immediately taken to the hospital where Mehraj lost his life.
The residents have requested the authorities to take the matter seriously, “For the sake of the Almighty kindly relocate the electric transformer and fix the electric poles, so that no other such incident takes place,” a local Farooq Ahmed on behalf of the residents said.
A KPDCL official stated that the concerned authorities are unavailable at the moment and will be able to talk after a few days.
