JAMMU: A delegation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Jammu met Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary Power Development Department (PDD), and highlighted the woes of industries and other businesses due to unprecedented power outage crisis and dwindling edifice of the department which stops working with first drop of the rain or touch of a passing breeze.
The delegation led by president CCI Jammu Arun Gupta raised number of issues concerning startling deficiencies in the functioning of the PDD. The delegation was comprised of Anil Gupta (senior vice-president), Rajeev Gupta (junior vice-president), Gaurav Gupta (secretary general), Rajesh Gupta (secretary) and Rajesh Gupta (treasurer). The CCI president said that the unscheduled power cuts are in vogue these days which led to nightmarish experience for the residents of Jammu with business community facing the worst scenario. He said that the difficult mesh of conductors on PDD poles with no symmetry at all is posing a great risk to people and field staff as the same can lead to leakage of current in the poles besides giving an ugly look.
He demanded that persuasive steps are the need of the time to mitigate the power crisis in Jammu region. He said that Power Amnesty Scheme was announced when the COVID-19 was at its peak and businesses were shut on account of lockdowns and those who wanted to avail the benefits could not do the same due to cash crunch, therefore Government should extend the scheme to give one last chance to the defaulters to clear their dues without imposing any penalty or interest. He said that an amicable step in this direction will bring win-win situation for all.
The CCI team also demanded that looking into the colossal losses which the traders have incurred due to uncertainty and closure of their shops for months together, the Government must take a lenient view and give relief to this community by waiving off their electricity bills for the lockdown period as the same will help them to pick up the pieces and restart their livelihood afresh.
