Post snowfall: Braving chill, PDD men in Anantnag work tirelessly to restore power supply in record time

Sameer Ahmad

Anantnag: Ironically, PDD Department has always been in headlines for wrong reasons however, this time PDD department has outshined all other departments, especially R&B dept in district Anantnag after it restored the power supply in the area in record time, amid the heavy snowfall, while as R&B Engineering Dept even after passing of one week has failed to clear the snow in Anantnag district, on the contrary the employees of PDD dept have taken a lead by risking their lives, without any safety gear provided by the department, to restore the power supply in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

The people from South Kashmir’s Anantnag District have hailed the efforts of PDD employees particularly casual labors who worked tirelessly during this heaviest snowfall and made possible to restore the power supply in whole district of South kashmir’s Anantnag district.

People from different walks of life have appreciated the bravery and dedication of the linemen of PDD Dept for serving people, risking their own life by climbing electric poles during the heavy snowfall and fixing the electric lines only to make lives of common people comfortable.

However, people have shown resentment against the Mechanical engineering department in Anantnag district and said that the department has failed to clear the snow on roads on main and link roads of the district.

Talking to Arising state residents of various villages in Anantnag district said that the PDD employees including officials of the Department have done a commendable job during recent heavy snowfall. The field employees of the PDD Dept ensured the restoration of electricity in entire district, except few villages in Anantnag district as their transformers were damaged by the snowfall.

“We are thankful to the PDD department officials especially employees who restored the electricity within a day in Anantnag District,” the residents stated.

Agasted with R&B mechanical engineering department in Anantnag district, people here blamed the dept for their sluggish and conventional way of clearing the snow in the area.

The residents while blaming dept said that the dept should learn from PDD dept, who worked in the extreme conditions and set an example for others that if one has willingness, he can achieve anything.

Meanwhile, sources said that Linemen who risked their lives for the comfort of people have been working on ‘temporary’ basis for the Power Development Department (PDD) in Anantnag district.

This is seen for the first time in District Anantnag when almost all the employees of PDD Department have worked tirelessly amid the heavy snowfall by restoring the electricity within a day in whole District.

Here we have listed some PDD employees who worked hard during the recent snowfall to restore the power supply in respective areas in record time.

Fayaz Ahmad Sheri (Sub Division Achabal kokernag) : A lineman resident of Soaf Shali kokernag restored power supply to almost six villages including kheripora, kachwan, Maswate, Samadhall, and Nilphan villages comprising of 10 kms of 11kv line in a single go without damaging any distribution transformer in these six villages during the heavy snowfall.

The locals of these villages hailed the efforts of this line man for his bravery and dedication witnessed during the snowfall.

Abdul Rashid, Suhail Ahmad and Gulzar Ahmad, (Sub Division Ashmuqam): All are need based casual employee’s working from last 17 years in PDD department, posted in Seer Hamdan and Akura Feeder.

The area falls in main town of Seer Hamdan, Akad, Mulsoo, Manigam, Mulsoo, Akura, Ramhall, Hugam, Pushkreeri, Khairbugh and Waguzarpora area of Anantnag district comprising of 25.10 kms of 11kV line. These employees braved the heaviest snowfall for restoration of power supply in the areas falling within the jurisdiction of electric sub division Aishmuqam which also includes Dachnipora, Khovripora and Pahalgam Blocks.

Their efforts to restore power supply in the areas has been hailed by the local people.

Mukhtar Ahmad (Sub Division Bijbehara): A need based casual labor working from last 18 years in PDD department is another example of bravery and hard work.

Mukhtar restored the power supply during the heavy snowfall in almost 9 villages which includes Durpora, khudpora, Dargah Khiram, Pannard, Wajinard, Sangnard, Kaninard, and Turnard Gujjar Basti comprising area of 14.9 kms.

Abdul Rashid Mir, Syed Mohd Iqbal and Nisar Ahmad Seru (Sub Division Dooru Verinag): All three were success to restore electricity in a single day in far flung areas of Dooru and verinag. Among the three Syed Mohd Iqbal and Nisar Ahmad are the daily wagers and are working from last 20 years in PDD department.

“The trio has done a good job during the heavy snowfall and it is the first time that 95% electricity was restored in a single day in history, in the far flung areas of Anantnag District like Kapran, Halsidar and other remote areas. These brave men risked their lives climbed poles, trees and cut the branches of trees falling on transmission lines,” said AEE Dooru Fayaz Ahmad.