80 p c electricity restored: Nirmal;NC MLAs stage walkout from LA on ‘no governance’ in snow-bound Kashmir

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Jammu: Opposition National Conference (NC) on Tuesday staged a walkout from the Assembly alleging that the state government had failed to provide electricity supply to the snow-bound areas of Kashmir.
As soon as the House assembled in the morning, NC MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar stood up and raised the issue which, he said, had “exposed” the government’s claims.
“There are several areas in Kashmir which are without electricity for the past 2-3 days. The snowfall has exposed the claims of the government in providing basic facilities to the people of the state,” Sagar said.
The NC members demanded a statement from the government to which the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, who also holds the Power portfolio, said that 80 per cent of power supply was available in the Kashmir valley.
Not satisfied with the statement of the Deputy Chief Minister, the NC members staged a walkout from the House.
Later while speaking to the reporters, Sagar reiterated his accusation against the state government.
“The people in Kashmir are reeling under power cut and the government has not been able to provide them electricity.
There are several areas which do not have electricity for past several days,” he said.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said that power supply has been restored in 80 per cent areas of the Kashmir Valley  post snowfall. “Directions were issued to the concerned department to take up restoration work on war-footing and supply has been restored in 80 per cent areas of the Kashmir Valley,” the Deputy Chief Minister told the Assembly.
He was responding to the concerns raised in this regard by legislators including Mian Altaf Ahmad, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Muhammad Akbar Lone, Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar and others in the Legislative Assembly.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that he recently convened a meeting with the heads of all departments to review the power scenario, civic amenities and other services.
He said Commissioner-Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department has been deputed to the Valley to monitor the situation.