Shopkeepers of Rajouri Protest Against Electricity Department(PDD) Amidst Rising Power Cuts

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL 

LIAQAT ALI KHATANA

RAJOURI DEC 19:-Frustration among local shopkeepers has reached a boiling point as unannounced power cuts in the city have surged dramatically in recent days. Many businesses are now receiving electricity for only two to three hours a day, and that too in sporadic intervals, severely impacting their operations and causing widespread distress among the local populace.

Leading the protest, Vijay Gupta, President of the Beopar Mandal, voiced the collective grievances of the shopkeepers. “For the past few days, electricity supply has been reduced to a mere two to three hours a day,” he stated. “The intermittent nature of these power outages is creating significant challenges for shopkeepers who rely on a consistent supply to conduct their business. Despite our appeals for action, the electricity department has made no meaningful attempts to address the escalating cuts.”

Gupta criticized the electricity department for attributing the power shortages to increased demand during the winter season, stating that such bureaucratic excuses fail to resolve the core issue. “We have repeatedly requested that at least the power cuts should be scheduled so we can plan our work accordingly. Instead, we find ourselves in a state of uncertainty without any fixed timings or reliability in supply,” he lamented.

The mounting frustration culminated in a symbolic act of protest, as shopkeepers gathered to burn the effigy of the Executive Engineer of the Electricity Department, signaling their discontent and determination. “If the electricity situation in the city does not improve soon, we are prepared to close our shops and escalate our protests against the department,” Gupta warned.

In response, the Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of the electricity department, Suresh Kumar, acknowledged the challenges faced by residents and shopkeepers alike. “The current issues stem from high load demand. We are actively working to mitigate these problems and hope to see improvements in the power system in the near future,” Kumar stated.

As tensions rise and the situation develops, both shopkeepers and residents are closely monitoring the electricity department’s actions, hoping for a swift resolution to their ongoing plight.