Sanctioned two years back, power station yet to be constructed in Pulwama’s Aripal tehsil

BASHARAT RASHID

Pulwama, 25 October: Despite the sanction for the power receiving station at Aripal tehsil in Pulwama district, the people here continue to suffer from unscheduled power cuts.

Sources said the construction of the power receiving station in Aripal is yet to be started even after the identification, demarcation of land, and cutting down of trees for the said purpose.

They said that the power receiving station was sanctioned more than 2 years ago but authorities are not taking any concrete step to start its construction, due to which the locals of around “24 villages” suffer particularly in winters.

Arising State learned from the official sources that a station of 6.3 MVA was sanctioned for several upper reach villages of Aripal and the land was also identified & demarcated near Yangwun hamlet, for its construction.

“Now, more than two years have passed, but authorities have failed to take up the construction work of the station, due to which locals in dozens of villages are suffering,” they said.

Meanwhile, the locals have expressed resentment over the delay in the construction and sought the intervention of authorities at the earliest.

“Receiving station in Aripal was sanctioned more than 2years back. A piece of land was demarcated and later cutting of trees was also done. However, construction work on the project is yet to be started,” a local said, adding that authorities should wake up now to mitigate the suffering of people.

The locals stated that power problems in dozens of the villages will be mitigated if the power station is constructed for this they requested the concerned department to look into the matter.

A top official in the district has however said that “it is in pipeline and may take some time.”

He said that he is trying his best to initiate the construction process as soon as possible.