Anantnag, feb 15, KDC: Residents of Seer Hamdan in Anantnag staged a protest on Saturday against the installation of smart electricity meters in their locality, citing economic hardships.
Reports reaching Kashmir Dot Com said that the residents from Padder Mohalla, Chana Mohalla, Mukdam Mohalla, Yaran Kadal, and adjacent areas blocked traffic on the Khanabal-Pahalgam road at Yaran Kadal, demanding a halt to the installation process. The protesters accused KPDCL of selectively targeting their locality for metering while other areas remained untouched.
“Our power supply comes from the Hutmurah grid station, yet the administration has chosen our area, which largely consists of economically weaker families, for smart meter installation. This is unfair,” a resident said.
Women protesters, expressing strong resentment, stated that most men in their locality are daily wage laborers struggling to make ends meet. “The additional burden of metered bills will push us further into poverty,” said one protester.
Residents also raised concerns over the installation, claiming they belong to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category and cannot afford high electricity bills. “During elections, politicians assured us there would be no meter installation, but now they are nowhere to be seen,” said a protester.
The residents alleged that ongoing installation work had also led to power outages, affecting critical patients in the area. They urged the administration to reconsider the decision and halt the process immediately.
KPDCL is yet to respond to the concerns raised by the protesters. (KDC)
