Residents rue power shortage
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Poonch, May 25
Residents of Poonch district are reeling under unscheduled power cuts ranging from 10-12 hours.

Irked over this, they alleged that long power cuts being imposed by the Power Development Department (PDD) could worsen the situation in the coming dehydrating monsoon.

Muhammad Shafi, a resident of the Mandi area, said, “The department has not only worsened the life of common people but also of college students who are taking their final examination. The worst scenario is seen in the rural areas like Loran, Sawjian, Chandimarh, Poshana, Dugran and Balakote areas, where the PDD is enforcing power cuts for 15-20 hours.”

“The state produces a huge amount of electricity but nobody knows where it goes. The government should immediately supply power in our areas or we will have no other option but to take to streets,” said BSC final-year student Azhar Usman Khan, who is taking his final examination.

Even as officers of the PDD refused to come on record on the matter, but sources in the department told The Tribune that the department had to impose massive power cuts due to huge load.