Srinagar: It was a candle light dinner for
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday night as
he directed disconnection of power supply to the VIP grid
including his residence to divert the scarce electricity for
maintaining essential services.
"It did take us some time to understand the order but was
complied with immediately as it had come from none other than
the Chief Minister himself," a senior official of the Power
Development Department (PDD) said today.
The direction was given yesterday shortly after Omar
returned home after touring the hospitals in the Valley to
take stock of supplies and maintenance of essential services.
The Chief Minister directed PDD to give preference to
hospitals and essential installations in supplying electricity
till damage caused to transmission lines as a result of
snowfall is repaired and electricity is restored.
While the decision of the Chief Minister was complied to,
it did send security officials in tizzy in view of the high
level security threat to the VVIP.
Due to unprecedented snowfall in higher reaches of Pir
Panjal mountains, a fault had developed on Kishanpur-Wagoora
Transmission Line at Pogal Paristan besides affecting as many
as 19 grid stations.
After work on the restoration of power supply was
executed on a war footing, the 19 grid stations were charged
and now the electric department was awaiting getting back the
power from the national grid.
The Chief Minister today toured South Kashmir hospitals
and attached the government staff who were found absent on
duty. He was enquiring from the patients and their attendants
about the problems being faced and also assured speedy redress
of their problems.
PTI
