Srinagar: In a surprising turn of events, a Division Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir found itself compelled to address the government's failure in power supply and subsequently issued directives to rectify the situation. The bench, consisting of Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Mukhsha Khajuria Kazmi, expressed dismay at the lack of power supply, revealing that even the High Court's generator was not functioning.
The issue came to the forefront during court hours when the High Court experienced a complete power failure, leaving the courtroom and surrounding areas in darkness. The single-page order issued to the Jammu and Kashmir government highlighted the dire conditions: "The generator is also not working. There are no lights. The air heating unit (AHU) is also not functional."
The power failure occurred around 9.45 am, and as of the issuance of the order at 11.28 am, the situation had not been rectified, prompting the bench to express concern about the worsening conditions. The order emphasised the urgency of finding a permanent solution to the power supply issue and called upon the Chief Secretary of the Union Territory to intervene immediately.
"The court requests the Chief Secretary of the Union Territory to pass necessary orders to solve this problem forthwith," the order read. It suggested potential solutions, including establishing a dedicated power line to the High Court with uninterrupted supply and ensuring generators with sufficient capacity to sustain the entire High Court, including the air heating unit, in case of future power failures.
A copy of the order has been served to the Chief Secretary, and the bench is scheduled to revisit the issue on February 21, 2024. The power crisis is not limited to the High Court, as Kashmir is grappling with severe power failures. The situation has escalated to the extent that the Kashmir Power Development Corporation (KPDCL) has urged district commissioners to withhold salaries of government employees until electricity dues are cleared.
Despite facing load shedding and weather-related issues, the power outage in Kashmir has become a critical concern. The recent night saw most of the city without power. The KPDCL has extended its appeal to contractors, emphasising the need for them to settle power bills before receiving payments for their development works.
In a communication, the KPDCL stated, "To ensure government revenue realisation recovery fixed for the current financial year, as per past practice, it is requested to your jurisdiction, to draw and disburse the salary of government employees working in the districts, only after the clearance of electricity dues." The corporation believes that this approach will contribute significantly to achieving revenue targets and securing the Union Territory exchequer.
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