SRINAGAR: In what could be termed as punitive action against the local population for resisting the installation of smart meters, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has snapped the power supply to Rainawari area of Srinagar city. The move triggered a protest on Thursday. Dozens of ladies hit the road and blocked the traffic at the main chowk Rainawari here in old Srinagar city. Amid slogans against the KPDCL and the administration, the protesters said that for the last two days, parts of Rainawari have been reeling under darkness. They alleged that KPDCL snapped the power supply to punish them for resisting the installation of smart meters. “KPDCL is acting as a dictator, seeking help from law enforcement agencies to suppress people. We won’t be able to pay hefty power bills if smart meters are installed in our area. The government is forcing us to bow down,” one of the female protesters told the news agency Kashmir News Trust. The installation of smart meters have created protests everywhere in Srinagar city. In some places, agitated people damaged the smart meters, prompting KPDCL to register police cases against the protesters. (KNT)

Rehan Qayoom Mir SRINAGAR: Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) Tuesday announced to have installed around ninety-thousand smart meters in Srinagar district as the department is gearing up to significantly improve the power scenario during the holy month of Ramadan. MD KPDCL, Yasin Choudhary said that the department is proudly announcing that KPDCL has installed 90 thousand smart meters in the Srinagar district alone. The process has been ongoing for many months now. Choudhary ensured the uninterrupted round-the-clock power supply, “We hope to keep the promise of 24-hour power supply to the consumers where smart meters have been installed.” Choudhary said that they have roughly completed a small target of 1 thousand consumers which include the areas of Hawal, KK Mohalla, Rainawari and Khanyar in Srinagar’s downtown area. “We also faced stiff resistance at many places, but we want the people to understand that smart meters have genuine merits. You will not only get just 24 readings, but your bill process will also be generated accurately as it is directly generated from the system, so there is no chance of any human errors. We are also providing good voltage and the efficiency has also been increased. All this is possible only because of smart meters." Talking about the non-metered areas, he added that before the smart meters were installed, people had apprehensions that it might mess their electricity bills. “Now, the same has been effectively demonstrated. We have also noted that no major changes have been seen in bill cycling and people can now monitor all the readings directly from their phone.” People are using and monitoring their power consumption accordingly, which is giving them insight as to save electricity and manage their bills well. Regarding the issue of meter-tampering, Chaudhary said under the supply code and other prominent acts, there are many ways that if any consumer or member of the public who is tampering with the meter in any way, he/she will be fined and dealt with under strict law. “Our peak-load demand in peak winters was roughly 2900 megawatts, and it has now fallen to a solid 2000 megawatts at this time. As the weather conditions are also favorable, we have 1700 megawatts maintained as far as availability is considered.” The curtailment is reducing day by day, and by the beginning of Ramadan, we will be able to ensure a much better scenario. “In any case, the time period of Sehri and Iftar will not be affected in any manner, and we will do all the special arrangements that are required for”, he said adding specified time slots for Sehri, Iftar or Tarawih will not be affected in any manner. (GNS)