PDD’s arbitrary crackdown on consumers is unacceptableDisconnecting power over meagre dues is nothing short of coercion:Rafique Rather.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned the unilateral action of the Power Development Department (PDD) in disconnecting electricity connections of consumers over pending dues, terming the move arbitrary and coercive.
In a strongly worded statement, PDP senior leader and District President Baramulla, Mohd Rafique Rather, said that the ongoing actions of the PDD under the NC-led administration have raised serious concerns across Baramulla and beyond. The department appears to be functioning less as a public service institution and more as an enforcement agency, resorting to harsh and insensitive measures against already distressed consumers.
Rafique Rather said it is deeply unfortunate that electricity connections are being snapped even for meagre dues at a time when people are grappling with severe economic hardships. In a region like ours, where winters are harsh and unforgiving, such actions are not merely administrative decisions but directly impact the dignity, health, and survival of ordinary households.
Rather strongly condemned the arbitrary and coercive approach and asserted that fiscal discipline cannot and must not come at the cost of human suffering. “Governance is about compassion, not compulsion,” he said.
Rafique Rather reminded the ruling National Conference of its manifesto promise of a one-time amnesty scheme for consumers burdened with large pending electricity bills in both rural and urban areas. Questioning the delay, Rather asked, “What has become of that promise? Why are the poorest being penalized when no relief framework has been put in place?”
Highlighting the plight of economically weaker sections, he said there are countless families who genuinely cannot afford to clear accumulated dues due to poverty and lack of stable income. Instead of extending relief, the government is pushing them further into distress.
Rather warned the NC government not to test public patience, which is already wearing thin under mounting economic pressures and administrative insensitivity. He said such anti-people measures, if continued, could lead to widespread resentment and public backlash.
Rather urged the administration to immediately halt such disconnections, particularly for economically weaker sections, and to fulfill its commitment by announcing a comprehensive one-time settlement scheme. “The people deserve empathy, accountability, and action, not punitive measures,” he added.