Residents of Pangi demand government action on the electricity situation in the dark

The people of the isolated Pangi valley, which is tucked between the Pir Panjal and Zanskar peaks of the Himalayas, are suffering from frequent power outages and disturbances, and they are pleading with the state government to help them.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has received a letter from Trilok Thakur, the president of Pangwal Ekta Manch, a well-known local organization that represents the Pangi people, emphasizing the gravity of the issue.

In his letter, Thakur claimed that the four mini-power plants in the valley were producing just 650 kW of electricity out of a total installed capacity of 1,400 kW.

According to him, there are four projects in the valley that serve 25,000 people in Pangi: Sural (100 kW), Killar (300 kW), Sach (900 kW), and Pruthi (100 kW).

“There are two 50 kW turbines in the Sural project, one of which is broken. In a same vein, there are no longer any turbines at Sach, Pruthi, or Killar, according to Thakur.

According to him, the stark 750 kW deficit eventually causes lengthy power outages across the valley, making life tough for many.

Their problems are made worse by the Sach mini-micro powerhouse, which has been closed for more than a week due to civil works, which has made the region’s energy shortage worse.

The severe situation is exacerbated by bureaucratic hold-ups in disbursing cash for urgently required maintenance and upgrading projects. He said that in 2023, the higher authorities had not yet released the required money for the expansion of the current machinery, equipment, tools, and plants (METP) and civil infrastructure, despite the submission of detailed estimates totaling Rs 7 crore. He went on to say that attempts to maximize electricity production and minimize losses in the valley were still being hampered by governmental indifference.

He regretted that the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) was causing the planned solar power projects—which included a 400-kW project at Hillour and Dharwas and a 1-MW project at Karyas—to develop slowly, which made matters worse.

These projects are still bogged down in red tape, despite many announcements over the years, which is delaying their commissioning and making the region’s energy problems worse.

The fact that Pangi, a landlocked plateau, lacks grid power means that the 25,000 people living there in 55 revenue villages are dependent on unpredictable and irregular electrical supplies, which highlights the seriousness of the problem.

In addition to impairing the people’ quality of life, the circumstance obstruct socioeconomic growth and maintain a traditional way of life that is glaringly different from the contemporary conveniences experienced by other regions of the state.

The Chief Minister was encouraged by the Pangwal Ekta Manch to give priority to expanding the mini-micro powerhouses that are already in place and to start commissioning the approved solar power projects as soon as possible.

According to Thakur, the community’s long-standing fight for a steady supply of energy highlighted how urgent it was to solve this urgent problem, which had been made worse by the lack of political representation since the Pangi Assembly Constituency was abolished in 1966.

The Pangi valley, which is 1,595 square kilometers in size, lacks the necessary infrastructure for a flourishing settlement.

The absence of a hospital infrastructure, limited educational facilities, and inadequate road networks are among the most urgent issues.

Area of striking contrast

The 25,000 people who live in Pangi are served by the four projects in the valley: Sural (100 kW), Killar (300 kW), Sach (900 kW), and Pruthi (100 kW).
People in the valley eventually experience lengthy power outages as a consequence of the stark 750 kW deficit, making daily living difficult for them. 20 April
Their problems are made worse by the Sach mini-micro powerhouse, which has been closed for more than a week due to civil works, which has made the area’s energy shortage worse.
Red tape continues to impede these projects’ progress, despite years of promises, which prevents them from being commissioned.
In addition to impairing the people’ quality of life, the circumstance prevent socioeconomic growth and maintain a traditional way of life that is glaringly different from the contemporary conveniences experienced by other regions of the state.