Congress seeks adequate power supply, restoration of train service, highway in Banihal

STATE TIMES NEWS

BANIHAL: Party workers and activists, led by senior Congress leader and former minister Vikar Rasool, staged a protest in Banihal today against the poor power supply in Banihal – apart from the newly elected DDC councilor, Imtiaz Ahmed Khanday, other local party workers were also involved in the protest. On this occasion, the protesters were chanting slogans such as “Restore power supply in Banihal, do justice to the people”.
The supply has not been restored while the people are provided only with a few hours of electricity as an eyewash. Vikar Rasool said that the poor people are being provided electricity without electricity meters in these winter months which is unfortunate.He said that instead of 20 MW, only 6 MW power is being supplied in Banihal which doesn’t even last for 6 hours and various under-construction railways and railway projects are also being run from this power. He further said that many areas have been without electricity for the last one to two months and supply has not been restored in these areas yet.
Vikar Rasool said that BPL families are now receiving monthly electricity bills of Rs. 400 instead of Rs. 110. He demanded immediate withdrawal of the increased electricity rent so that poor consumers can heave a sigh of relief. He also demanded that no electricity rent should be levied in the areas without electricity supply. If they do, we will be forced to hold a sit-in on the highway for which the authorities would themselves be responsible. Vikar Rasool also demanded immediate restoration of banihal baramulla train service which has been suspended since August 5 so that people traveling on this route don’t face any problems.