Bilal Habib
PAMPORE, January 7: Residents of Frestabal, a locality in Saffron Town, Pampore area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, staged a protest on Monday evening following a fire caused by a wire connected to newly installed smart meters.
The incident, attributed to a short circuit near Valley Model School, triggered panic among locals, who gathered to voice concerns about the safety of the smart meters.
The flames were extinguished by local local residents.
Personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services Pampore quickly arrived at the scene soon after incident . The residents, however, blamed the concerned agency for the improper installation of smart meter wiring. They also expressed frustration over frequent power outages, particularly during the harsh winter season.
Pampore Police, led by Station House Officer (SHO) Naiem Rasheed, reached the site soon after the incident to manage the situation, local residents told Kashmir Convenor.
The following Tuesday morning residents also staged a potest against PDD, Executive Engineer of the Power Development Department Awantipora, Gulzar Ahmad, SHO Pampore Naiem Rasheed along with other officials, visited the site. They listened to the grievances of the residents and assured them that their concerns would be addressed promptly. Officials also promised to resolve all genuine issues raised by the locals to restore their confidence and ensure safety.
Talking to Kashmir Convener, a local youth said that they are protesting because their issue with the PDD department is regarding the installation of smart meters. He said that they welcome the installation of these smart meters and are not against it, but the area lacks proper wiring, proper poles, and a proper Distribution Point (DP) system.
He further said that an incident occurred last evening that could have caused significant damage if it hadn’t been brought under control quickly. He appealed to the administration to address this issue seriously.
The wiring of the newly installed smart meters is not up to standard. It should be 120 MM, but the contractor has used 50 MM wiring, which cannot handle the load and burns out. He emphasized the need for proper metering and the installation of a proper DP system to support the infrastructure for smart meters.
He clarified that their intention is not to oppose the installation of meters but to ensure the system is installed correctly. They also requested the restoration of electricity and resolution of the meter-related issues, especially since the area has been without electricity for the last four days. With winter approaching, homes have children, and there are oxygen-dependent patients, making electricity a necessity. He urged the administration to act promptly to resolve these problems.
Another youth told Kashmir Convener that 4-5 days ago, smart meters were installed here. We are not against it, but we want proper wiring and proper DP meters to be in place. In the last five days, two incidents have occurred here. Last evening, there was an incident that caused panic among the people, leading us to call fire and emergency services as well as the police. However, the concerned PDD department employees did not respond to phone calls and had their mobiles switched off.
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