Seeking electricity, Uri’s panchayat representatives’ stage hunger strike

The Panchayati Raj Institutions, including district development council (DDC) and block development council members, sarpanches and other representatives are holding peaceful protest close to the national highway in Boniyar town

Seeking electricity and other civic facilities, dozens of panchayat representatives have been staging a hunger strike for three days in north Kashmir’s border town, Uri.

Seeking electricity and other civic facilities, dozens of panchayat representatives have been staging a hunger strike for three days in north Kashmir’s border town, Uri (Representative image/hT File)

The Panchayati Raj Institutions, including district development council (DDC) and block development council members, sarpanches and other representatives are holding peaceful protest close to the national highway in Boniyar town. “We are not provided electricity, and charged exorbitantly. When officials failed to redress our demands we were forced to hold a sit-in and hunger strike,” said Bilal Mir, an independent block development council member from Boniyar.

“Over 100 PRI’s from Uri tehsil are participating in our protest. If our genuine demands are not fulfilled we will start marching towards New Delhi wand will try to meet the Prime Minister,” he said, adding that representatives of all parties are keen to participate in the protest.

Another panchayat representative said that Uri produces over 1,000 megawatts of electricity but still villagers are facing long power cuts on daily basis. “We gave our land for NHPC projects with a promise that Uri will have round-the-clock electricity now we get electricity for only few hours. And, the irony is most of the villagers are living below poverty line, still the exorbitant bills are given to them which is injustice,” he said, adding that several heads of departments are missing in our areas that affects day to day work of the departments.

National Hydro Electric Corporation (NHPC) has two big power projects in Uri, which generates around 700 to 800 MW of electricity during summers, besides J&K government also has a big hydel power at Gantmulla, which also generates around 100 megawatts of power in summer. J&K’s first power house was also set up at Mohura village around 100 years ago, though the project is now defunct, officials are now reviving the hydel project.

Locals however say that villagers do not benefit from these big projects. “We should have been the first beneficiaries, but we are being neglected,” said Zaffar Iqbal, a local villager, who also participated in the protest.

On Tuesday, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari who is planning to contest upcoming assembly elections from Uri, said that PRI’s had raised genuine demands. “I also sat on protest as the demands of people on hunger strike are genuine. Had I been in the government, I would have resolved most of their demands. I will try to convey their demands to the concerned quarters.”

Even Uri sub-divisional magistrate visited the spot where PRIs and locals are on hunger strike. “Ours is a peaceful protest and will continue till our issues are resolved.”