Srinagar: As intense cold wave coupled with dry spell and power curtailments create difficulties for people in the Kashmir valley, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has decided to stay in Srinagar for a week to monitor power supply and other facilities for the residents.
“In light of the severe cold spell in the Kashmir valley & the resultant difficulties with water & electricity supply, I have decided to cancel my forthcoming programmes in Jammu & station myself in Srinagar for the next week to personally monitor the functioning of the Power department & other important departments,” Omar wrote on X.
In light of the severe cold spell in the Kashmir valley & the resultant difficulties with water & electricity supply, I have decided to cancel my forthcoming programmes in Jammu & station myself in Srinagar for the next week to personally monitor the functioning of the Power…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) December 22, 2024
The chief minister apologised to the organisers of programmes where he was invited as chief guest in Jammu saying he would make it up to the affected organisers.
“I do appreciate that cancelling my programmes in Jammu will cause some inconvenience to the organisers & I regret the same. However under the circumstances this is the right thing to do & I will make it up to the people/organisations whose programmes have been affected,” he said. Omar said that he is on his way back from Jaisalmer and will be back in Srinagar on Monday morning.
The Omar-led government was facing criticism for spending life in warm temperatures of Jammu and leaving people of Kashmir grappling in cold wave with power outages and disrupted water supplies.
Kashmir is reeling under sub-zero temperatures as the 40 days long coldest season of the winter, Chillai Kalan, has set in on December 21. The electricity and water supply disruption have brought many difficulties to the people.
The government has shifted to Jammu district which relatively witnesses warmer weather than Kashmir during winter, despite the practice of Darbar Move having been stopped by the Lieutenant Governor administration in 2021. However, the Omar Abdullah-led government, his cabinet colleagues and bureaucrats have shifted to the Jammu wing of the Civil Secretariat.
Read more:
- Kashmir Weather Update: Slight Respite As Minimum Temperature Increases To Minus 4.6 In Srinagar, Govt Issues Advisory For Motorists
- Kashmir’s Cosy Love Affair With Kangri, The Ultimate Winter Darling Beating Modern Gadgets
- Harshest Winter Period ‘Chillai Kalan’ Begins In Kashmir Amid Persistent Dry Spell
