Srinagar (PTI): More than 80 per cent of the electricity supply was restored in Kashmir on Friday evening following its disruption due to gusty winds and snowfall, officials said.

Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) officials said that due to the severe gusty winds, incessant rainfall and heavy snowfall across various parts of Kashmir, the power demand witnessed an unprecedented decline and it dropped to the lowest level of 93 MW at around 10 pm on Thursday night as against the normal average of approximately 1650 MW.

The network was live until 10 pm on Thursday when the load abruptly crashed due to faults/damage of various 33kV/11kV feeders, owing to gusty winds, they said.

The rooftops of houses were blown off and smashed on to 33kV/11KV line, causing damage to the electrical line and adding extra difficulty in clearing the smashed roof structures hanging on the lines, the officials said.

At the sub-transmission level, 103 out of 135 33 kV lines were down/under fault, reflecting nearly 24 per cent active network at this level.

Similarly, at the distribution level, 1275 out of 1302 11 kV feeders were down/under fault till morning, they added.

Following standard operating procedures (SOPs), wee morning restoration had already started and is being monitored at all levels led by managing director or chief engineer and pursued by superintending engineers or executive engineers.

The restoration picked up pace and by 6 pm on Friday, almost 80 per cent network was restored and load of 1050 MW was recorded with prioritising of essential and vital installations, they added.

The KPDCL officials said heavy snowfall and high-speed winds have badly affected the electrical infrastructure, particularly in Shopian, Kulgam, Baramulla and Budgam.

Around 4.5-foot snow in high terrains of these areas is affecting the restoration work as vehicular movement is also severely impaired, they said.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.

The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.

Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.

The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.

Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.

The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.