Poor power supply irks J&K mill owners

The All Mill Owners' Association of the Pulwama district in Kashmir has expressed anguish over the power development department's (PDD) "poor" power service to the mill owners in the district.

In a meeting held under the chairmanship of its president Nazir Ahmad Mir, the association has blamed the department for the dilapidated condition of the mills and factories in the district.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the association said it had earlier spoken to the chief minister about their problems.

Although the finance minister had introduced a bill in the legislature, announcing a 50 per cent amnesty on outstanding tariff for the mill owners, the department did not adhere to the instructions of the government.

Showing their readiness to deposit the 50 per cent pending tariff, the mill owners made an appeal to the chief minister to intervene and issue necessary instructions to the department authorities. The statement accused the department of making the mills defunct for want of electricity.

"With the extremely poor power service, most of the mills have gone insolvent or defunct, they said, adding, power is the backbone of any industry and no industry can grow without it.

It also threatened to take 'extreme' measures against the PDD, if the department failed to adhere to the finance minister's instructions of 50 per cent amnesty on power to the mill owners, and ensure smooth and uninterrupted power supply to the mills.