Uri: Electricity is something that lights up twice a month

"Most of the Uri villages are yet to get electricity even though the tehsil has the distinction of generating 500 MW of power from Uri Civil and Lower JhelumHydel Power (LJHP) projects," said Master Hassan-ud-Din, an elderly resident. "When Uri Civil was commissioned last year, we were promised uninterrupted power supply. But now, power supply has gone from bad to worse," he said.

The tehsil villages are being provided electricity from Amargarh receiving station at Sopore even as the people here are demanding direct power supply from LJHP, Gantmulla. "Those manning the Amargarh station, as a rule, disconnect Uri belt to maintain load as they consider people living here backwards," complain Imtiaz Ahmad of Nambla village.

"In the absence of electricity and due to frequent cuts, people use primitive methods to lit their hearths. It is unfortunate that power generation is taking place right in front of our eyes. Still we are without electricity," he added.

The residents complained about the non-repair of the 11 KW high-tension transmission line from Baramulla to Uri since 1972, putting the residents to high risk. Police records reveal that at least fivepersons lost their lives due to electric shocks or due to HT lines’ collapse which pass through the villages. One of the senior PDD official confirmed that due to heavy snowfall and strong winds, the HT line is in a bad shape and needed immediate attention as at many places the wooden poles had been eroded. "If repairs are not effected soon, any mishap could occur," he warned."More than one lakh people living in various villages of Uri are a neglected lot. If a fault develops, people make repairs of their own as PDD has forgotten us," said social worker Sadiq Mir of Tethmulla.

However, when contacted, G M Wani, executive engineer, PDD, Baramulla said Uri is getting electricity much the same way as given to Baramulla and Sopore towns. "Some of the villages are without electricity as these are located at far-off distances and the department requires lot of money and conductors to electrify these villages. Also, some villages got de-electrified due to subversive activities in the area," he said.