HATTIAN BALA (Kashmir English): The Azad Kashmir’s Electricity Department has once again taken a U-turn over their earlier announcement regarding the installation of a 26 MW transformer at 132KV Hattian Bala grid station before February 24.
As per details, Secretary Electricity Azad Kashmir announced that a transformer worth Rs30 crore will be installed to end the power load shedding in the Jhelum Valley district. It was expected to be completed before Ramadan, which could have provided relief to citizens.
However, the Chief Engineer of the Electricity Department Muzaffarabad Ziad Akbar has given March 31 as the new deadline for installation of the transformer, increasing public concern. The people of the entire Jhelum Valley will also have to spend the month of Ramadan in load shedding.
Earlier on January 24, the Secretary of Electricity during his visit to Hattian Bala district said that a new heavy transformer would be installed at the grid station Hattian Bala within a month.
As the deadline approached, Chief Engineer Electricity Muzaffarabad along with Nazim Electricity Department Khalid Shabbi and Planning Officer Raja Zaheer reached Hattian Bala where a meeting was held with the officials of the district administration, Press Club, and Traders Association on the installation of a transformer worth Rs30o million.
During the meeting, President Anjuman Tajran Faisal Gilani raised the prolonged load-shedding issue, stating that Rs300 million have been paid to WAPDA in four years but the transformer has not been installed on the Hattian grid to date.
Over the concerns, Chief Engineer Electricity Ziad Akbar assured that the transformer will reach the Hattian grid on March 31. “The state has paid all the money to WAPDA for the new transformer.”
Deputy Commissioner Ashfaq Gilani and SP Mirza Zahid Hussain said that the electricity department is aware of the problems of the people and should ensure the installation of the transformer as soon as possible, realizing the problems of the people of Jhelum Valley.
On the request of the Deputy Commissioner and SP, the officials of the Traders Association and the Press Club gave the electricity department officials a deadline of March 31 and said that if the transformer does not reach Hattian by March 31, a complete shutter down, wheel jam and sit-in will be held in Hattian Bala.
The participants of the meeting demanded Axion Electricity Ehtesham Qureshi to ensure minimum load shedding during Sehar and Iftar times in Ramadan so that the fasting people do not face any problems.
Deputy Commissioner Jhelum Valley Syed Ashfaq Gilani, SP Jhelum Valley Mirza Zahid Hussain, Axion Electricity Jhelum Valley Ehtesham Qureshi, President Press Club Muhammad Zahid Awan, President Anjuman Tajran Jhelum Valley Syed Faisal Gilani, Member Governing Body Press Foundation Muhammad Aslam Mirza, Vice President Press Club Mubarak Hussain Awan, Naib Tehsildar Ayaz Chughtai, and SDO Electricity participated.
