File image for representation purpose only.
| Photo Credit: A. Muralitharan
Facing a public outcry, the J&K administration has withdrawn the ban order on sale of heating gadgets in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and only “prohibited use of banned nichrome coil-based crude water-heaters and crude cooking-heaters.
Amending the earlier ban order, the fresh order issued by Shyambir, District Magistrate, Ganderbal, reads: “I amend the operative part of the said order and issue directions as for efficient use of energy, its conservation and for safety of life and property, do hereby prohibit sale, purchase and use of banned nichrome coil based crude water-heaters and crude cooking-heaters, which do not conform to the relevant specifications of the Bureau of Indian Standard.”
The Ganderbal district on Saturday invoked Section 144 CrPC of 1973, violation of which could result in arrest of a violator immediately, to impose “impose a blanket ban on the storage, sale, possession and use of heavy heating appliances such as blowers, heaters, radiators etc. within the territorial jurisdiction of district Ganderbal with immediate effect”.
J&K parties criticized the move. “This is a ridiculous order. How can the administration impose a blanket ban on sale, usage and even storage of electrical heaters? Is the DC’s heating/cooling AC covered under this Sec 144 ban? Will he have it removed from his office or home? Are people supposed to freeze to death?” former chief minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said.
He also questioned the move to invoke Section 144. “Is this heartless administration going to arrest parents who want to save their children from freezing to death? Or children who want to protect aged parents from the cold? J&K L-G must have this draconian order withdrawn,” Mr. Abdullah said, in a tweet.
Ganderbal is located in central Kashmir and Mr. Abdullah has contested assembly polls from the district in the past.
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