Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 20: Even though Power Development Department (PDD) is all set to implement Restructured Accelerated Power Development Reforms Programme (R-APDRP), the people as well as some experts in the field of electricity have many apprehensions about this ambitious scheme as the Department has so far not taken appropriate steps to educate the people about the salient features of the scheme.
The experts have asked the Department to come clear about the same before implementation of the scheme in Jammu City or other areas. They felt that scheme can come as a cropper in case the apprehensions of the masses are not taken care of before embarking upon the much talked about R-APDRP.
Terming the scheme very ambitious which in its essence is conceived by Government fo India for effective energy monitoring, reduction of losses & to check rampant theft of power, the experts however, said apprehensions have started creeping up, in the minds of consumers regarding capacities/ ratings of transformers/ cables and availability of power. People were hoping that the scheme parameters are based on ground realities particularly extreme high load situations of summer months, they added.
They said the scheme is being executed by PDD in various localities of Jammu City, it has been taken up in right earnest with total funding by the GoI.
Maintaining that the work on the scheme is moving on a fast pace, which is being executed by PDD in various localities of Jammu with total funding from GoI, the experts said that as happens with all new ventures there have been some reports floating around that the newly installed cables have caught fire causing damage to the allied infrastructure. When such serious happening have taken place during Winter months when the load is supposed to be at all time low, it has obviously & correctly made people apprehensive about functioning of scheme during summer for which it must have been designed. Any revaluation/ redesign of the scheme, if needed must be done at this stage only, the added.
Further they said that wherever the scheme has been commissioned, the electricity is being supplied to all consumers through single pole 32A MCB irrespective of their agreement load. This will cause unnecessary hardships to people because maximum load demand of individual consumer has to be taken into consideration while deciding this rating as otherwise supply to his / her house will get repeatedly interrupted thereby defeating the basic purpose of providing quality supply. Each time there is a tripping the consumer has to hunt for the lineman of the area to restore the supply and problem can become critical during the odd night hours when the local lineman can’t be available, they added.
The experts feel that this will throw the public back to 80s era when fuse systems were in vogue and hapless consumers were put to problems for restoring a fuse and were totally dependent on lineman for the same.
According to the experts, the scheme under execution is a multi crore one and obviously is supposed to ensure & promote good returns for Government. During present era every household is in possession of electricity driven modern gadgets and the scheme must promote use of these gadgets against proper returns. Use of a MCB of arbitrarily chosen 32A capacity is only putting archaic hurdles in promoting & utilization of correct recorded & enhanced revenue generating electric energy as must be envisaged in the scheme, they added.
However the department observed that it was fully aware of the same and it has started taking reformative steps on war footing basis right from the earnest.
The Chief Engineer Electric Maintenance and Rural Electrification, (M&RE) Jammu, Ashwani Gupta said that the Department is already abreast of the same and he has taken up the issue with Chief Engineer Planning and Designs who is the Nodal Officer for implementation of the scheme. “ We are again holding the meeting to discuss the modalities so that apprehensions of the people are removed”, he added.
He said a survey will be conducted in this regard and on the basis of trial the Department will check the load and how many connections can bear the load. He said that after threadbare discussions with Planning and Design Department, the drawing will be changed and this process will start from next month.
Besides, a campaign will be launched to educate the consumers about the new ambitious scheme. During the campaign seminars will be held at different places, he added.
Gupta said the people having more load will be asked to take three phases connection. Besides, the Department is going to install the 63 Ampere MCB for those consumers who have higher load.
Seeking the cooperation of the consumers he asked them to disclose the load so that a fool proof mechanism of power supply through R-APDRP is adopted.
Sources in PDD said that the main objective of the implementation of the scheme is that consumers themselves curtail their consumption as their will be tripping at MCB incase load increases. Moreover, there will be zero power loss after implementation of the scheme, sources added.
Sources aid that one consumer will be given connection from one MCB of 32 Ampere and there will be total nine MCBs in one Distribution Box (DB) installed on poll among them six will be in use and three will be kept spare to be used in case of snag.
Sources said 18 to 20 kv connections can be easily given from the three phases. Moreover for the facilities of consumers High Voltage Direct Supply (HVDS) transformers will be installed in those areas where road is open and where lanes are tight Air Bunch Cables will be installed and all connections will be given through Poll Distribution Box (DB),, they added.
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