Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti has criticized Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha-led administration of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir for making the lives of people miserable by forcibly installing smart electricity meters in their houses. Iltija Mufti, who was recently appointed by PDP as media advisor to Mehbooba Mufti, in a statement in Srinagar, said, “Over the past several months, the consumers including a sizeable number of women are on the roads to protest the installation of smart meters but this government remained unmoved” . She said Jammu and Kashmir is the only place which lives in darkness while the power supply is being exported to India.

 “We have to buy our own generated electricity at a high cost,” while several Indian states are providing 200 to 400 units free of cost to the consumers. “There is 24 hours electricity supply in the areas where smart meters are installed outside J&K,” she said. Iltija Mufti said, there is no improvement in the electricity supply despite forcible installation of smart meters in Jammu and Kashmir. While the free electricity in J&K is a far cry, the consumers are getting inflated power bills after the installation of the smart meters, she said, adding the move to install smart meters has broken the backbone of the people who are facing economic distress as unemployment in J&K is the highest as compared to the Indian states.She also alleged that the administration has taken over land and resources while the government jobs are being distributed to outsiders. “Instead of providing any relief to the people, the administration is making their lives miserable,” Iltija said.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)