Tanta village in Jammu and Kashmir’s mountainous Doda district received electricity for the first time on Sunday, ending decades of darkness. The electrification of the village was taken up on the orders of Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha after a group of locals put forth their grievance before him at the last ‘LG’s Mulaqaat-Live Public Grievance Hearing’ program. LG directed the Doda district administration to ensure the electrification of the remote village within one month. Following the orders, the District Administration swept into action and the task of electrifying the remote village was completed in a record time of 10 days.
Acting upon the directions of LG, the district administration, in coordination with the Jammu Power Development Corporation Limited (JPDCL) and Shalaka (a real estate company) officials, started the work despite adverse weather conditions, which made the task extremely difficult. To celebrate the historical moment with the villagers, Doda District Development Commissioner (DDC), Dr. Sagar D Doifode visited the village and formally declared it as electrified by lighting up a bulb amid huge rounds of applause by the elated locals.
“Today, it is a very proud moment for us and a lucky day, a dream that the Government had seen supplying electricity to each and every household, has been realised. A few days ago, this issue was highlighted in the grievance cell of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, following which the district administration was told to immediately provide electricity supply to this hamlet left out without power connection, within one month’s time. Despite two to three feet deep snow, the entire administration and company involved in the electrification project were mobilised. Within 10 days, all the work including the erection of poles, installation of wires, and ensuring electricity supply to all the houses of the area, was completed. Today, I would say, the first time in history, the village got electrified. In the coming days, we will try to cover all such hamlets and provide power supply to them” said the Doda DDC.
Speaking on the occasion, Block Development Council (BDC) Chairperson, Chatroo, Fatima Begum said, “I would like to thank the Lieutenant Governor and the District Commissioner because the people received electricity for the first time after 70 years. People expressed happiness with the administration after the hamlet got electrified. People had tears of joy rolling down their cheeks when they switched on the bulbs installed in their houses. This shows how badly they needed power supply.”
