Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today directed Power Development Department (PDD) to purchase additional 250 MW of power to overcome increased demand during the forthcoming holy fasting month of Ramazan and peak summer season in Jammu.
"In order to overcome increased demand of power during holy month of Ramazan and peak summer season in Jammu, Sayeed issued directions to PDD to purchase additional 250 MW of power," an official spokesman said.
The spokesman said the Chief Minister issued the direction while chairing a high-level meeting to review the working of PDD here.
Calling upon the department to ensure that uninterrupted electricity is provided to people during the fasting month of Ramazan, especially at 'sehri' (start of the day long fast) and 'iftaar' (breaking of the fast), Sayeed said he would examine the issue of increasing power purchase allocation of the department.
He said the additional purchase would also augment power supply in Jammu, providing much needed relief to people from scorching summer heat.
The Chief Minister also instructed PDD to stick to fixed schedules of load shedding and not resort to undeclared power cuts.
Sayeed, however, linked purchase of power to improvement in recovery by putting an effective monitoring system in place that checks pilferage.
"Surprise and random checking will act as a deterrent against power theft for which the Department will have to evolve an effective mechanism," he stressed.
