Dangling Electric Wires Tied With Trees Pose Threat to Lives in Twin South Kashmir Districts

SRINAGAR: Residents of Zahid Bagh and Rakh villages in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, along with Darbagh village in neighbouring Shopian, here have stated that they are living under constant threat due to dangerously low-hanging electric wires and worn-out wooden poles.

The wires—many of them tied to tree trunks instead of proper poles—pass alarmingly close to rooftops and tree branches, creating what locals describe as a “disaster waiting to happen.”

“The wires often touch trees and even the roofs of some houses, making the situation extremely risky,” Bilal Ahmad, a resident of Zahid Bagh told said. “We are scared, especially during rains or windstorms”, he added further.

Villagers allege that despite repeated complaints and reminders to the concerned department, the fragile and outdated power infrastructure remains unchanged.

“Every year during the Back to Village programme, we demand proper electric poles and wires. But on the ground, nothing has changed,” said Shabir Ahmad from Rakh.

In Darbagh, residents said weak transmission lines frequently snap or suffer faults, causing unscheduled power cuts and posing a fire hazard.

“All the low-tension wires in our village are tied to trees due to the absence of poles. These wires are very low and often get damaged, putting both life and property at risk,” said Mohammad Yousuf, a local from Darbagh.

People in these areas are now appealing for urgent intervention from higher authorities, calling for the immediate installation of new electric poles and insulated wires to ensure both safety and uninterrupted power supply. “We don’t want to wait for a tragedy to happen before action is taken,” they said.

They said that every month the tariff is being increased but on ground infrastructure isn’t being upgraded at any level.

They have demanded intervention of concerned Minister and MLAs in this regard. (KNO)