Handwara, Jul 29 (KNO): A village wide power disconnection by the Power Development Department (PDD) in North Kashmir's Handwara area over pending electricity dues sparked a controversy, with the local MLA accusing the department of resorting to "collective punishment" by disconnecting supply to consumers who had already cleared their bills.
An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) the power supply to Gonipora village in Handwara was snapped after a majority of consumers were found to have pending electricity dues.
However, MLA Langate, Sheikh Khursheed, questioned the move, saying the department should have acted only against defaulters instead of disconnecting electricity to the entire village.
"The whole village did not have pending dues. Consumers who have paid their bills should not have been made to suffer because of defaulters," the MLA said.
Khursheed alleged selective enforcement of the recovery drive, claiming that a fisheries rest house, currently occupied by BJP affiliate Javed Qureshi, had accumulated electricity dues of nearly Rs 5 lakh but its power supply has remained intact.
"I do not defend those who have not paid their dues, but the same action should be taken against influential people as well. Disconnecting power to an entire village amounts to collective punishment," he said.
Responding to the allegations, Executive Engineer, PDD Division Handwara, Er. Asif Khan, told KNO that the department had acted strictly in accordance with official directions.
"We had clear instructions to disconnect electricity in areas where nearly 80 percent of consumers had pending dues. The power supply to Gonipora was disconnected under those directions," he said.
The Executive Engineer said that after the MLA raised concerns, the department immediately restored electricity to consumers who had already cleared their dues through alternative arrangements.
"Those who had paid their bills were provided electricity after the issue was brought to our notice. The grievance raised by the MLA was addressed without delay," he said.
He also said the electricity to Fisheries Rest House flagged by the MLA was subsequently disconnected after verification of the pending dues—(KNO)