PDD seeking help of ADB to curtail power thefts in J&K

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Feb 20: After failure of e-meters installed by Power Development Department (PDD) to curtail the power thefts in the state, PDD in a last ditch effort has now decided to seek help of Asian Development Bank (ADB) to install High Voltage Distribution System to curtail theft of electricity.

According to the officials department has decided to approach the ADB for the financial assistance to take up the project in Jammu and Kashmir and a detailed report is being prepared for the same.

“Project is being formulated and these new distribution systems will be installed in every home and has better security features than e-meters. They will be integrated with meters”, said a officia. He further said that some new measures are being initiated to take strict action against the people involved in power thefts.

“We have already constituted special teams to conduct surprise inspections and take action like imposition of fines and snapping the power lines”, sources said.

Installation of meters was started in 2004, during Congress-PDP government to bring down Accumulated Transmission and Commercial (AT&C) losses to nationally accepted figure of 18 to 20 per cent from a whopping 60 per cent.

During 2004-05 about 24052 households were brought under the e-meters in J&K, similarly in 2005-06, 42129 meters were installed in both the regions of the state, later in 2006-07 it reached upto 149206 meters. However despite efforts the process failed to achieve its intended target and the entire process had not made much impact and power losses have continued to rise.

Further nearly 23,500 electronic meters were damaged by the mob across the Jammu province during the 63 days long agitation over Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) land row causing a loss of Rs 2.46 crore to the State exchequer and they are also being replaced by the department in phased manner.

Officials said that this new plan is being implemented as the department this year again failed to recover its revenue targets.

It had managed to recover Rs 733 crore from across the state while the target was Rs 1031 crore, which has further put strain on the department which had to purchase electricity for nearly Rs 1800 crore during the year.

Meanwhile power situation in Jammu region is getting worse as in many areas erratic power cuts is making people angry with the department which had claimed that metered areas will receive 24-hour power supply.

“Even though meters in our area have been installed about two years back but we still have to face power cuts, what is fun of these instruments”, said Sanjeev Sharma resident of New Plot.