Protests in Budgam over smart meters amid escalating economic hardships
Srinagar: Residents of several villages in Budgam district in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir have risen in protest against the installation of smart electricity meters. The move, they say, reflects the administration’s indifference to the financial struggles faced by ordinary Kashmiris.
According to Kashmir Media Service, one of the major demonstrations took place in Chek-i-Kawoosa village, where a large number of women blocked the road raising slogans against the move. Protestors demanded an immediate rollback of the new metering system, citing fears of skyrocketing electricity bills that would deepen the financial strain on already struggling households.
“We can barely afford basic needs, and now these smart meters will make life unbearable,” said a protesting woman. “The authorities seem blind to the hardships of the poor.”
Residents said that officials were prioritizing policies that hurt low-income families instead of addressing their economic challenges. “This is yet another example of a policy completely divorced from the realities on the ground,” said a local elder. deeming the initiative as unjust and disconnected from ground realities.
The protests underscore growing resentment among the Kashmiris, who see such measures as further evidence of the IIOJK administration’s apathy towards their hardships.
