IIOJK residents turn to traditional kangris amid prolonged power cuts
Srinagar: Residents of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir are returning to traditional heating methods like kangris, as frequent power cuts during the harsh winter have made modern electric heating gadgets ineffective.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the territory is currently enduring Chilla-i-Kalan, the 40-day coldest period of winter, with temperatures in Srinagar dropping to a record -8.5°C, the coldest night in 33 years. Other areas are also experiencing severe sub-zero temperatures, freezing water supply pipes and leaving many households struggling to cope.
Frequent electricity outages, lasting up to 12 hours daily, primarily due to power generated locally being transmitted to Indian states, have compelled residents to rely on kangris and wood-fueled hamams for warmth. “With the constant power cuts, modern heating appliances are of no use. We’ve had no option but to turn back to kangris,” said Yasir Ahmad from Srinagar’s upscale Gulbahar colony.
Traditional fuel vendors, like firewood dealer Mohammad Abbas Zargar, report a surge in demand for wood and charcoal, as residents look for reliable ways to stay warm.
The prolonged power crisis has revealed the territory’s infrastructural weaknesses, contradicting the Modi regime’s grand claims, and compelling residents to rely on traditional survival methods amid the harsh winter cold. KMS-5K
