The extended and unannounced power outages are causing immense hardships to the people of Jammu Kashmir.
While urban areas are witnessing power cuts for up to 9 hours, many outlying villages have been reeling under almost sheer darkness for several months.
In a press statement issued to The Kashmiriyat, the CPIM leader M Y Tarigami said, The precarious power situation is in marked contrast to the Lieutenant Governor’s recent announcement that the metered areas would receive seamless electricity round the clock.
It is very unfortunate that despite having huge potential to generate a copious amount of electricity, Jammu and Kashmir have to face the worst power crises often.
The region has the potential to generate commercial hydropower up to 20000 MW out of which only 3263.4 MW stands harnessed by various agencies including Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation, NHPC, and Independent Power Producers.
Moreover, Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh have the potential of generating 111GW of solar energy.
However, it is very unfortunate that these resources remain untapped and the entire region continues to face yawning demand-supply gaps.
The government should harness the hydropower and solar potential besides making small projects in remote and far-off areas of the Jammu and Kashmir to augment the power supply.