Srinagar, April 27 -- The Kashmir Trade Alliance (KTA) has strongly criticized the power department for failing to provide reliable electricity supply, even after installing smart meters and revising load agreements for consumers.

In a statement released today, KTA President Aijaz Shahdhar said the government has a responsibility to ensure regular power supply, as it is a basic necessity for running daily affairs.

"Never have we seen such a worse power scenario in the spring months," Shahdhar said. "It is unfortunate that on one hand smart meters are installed, and on the other side, those very areas where smart meters are in place are reeling under 10 to 12 hours of power cuts per day."

The trade leader noted that the prolonged outage...