Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 13: Taking serious note of power crisis being faced by people in Jammu region especially in winter months the Minister of Housing, Horticulture and Culture Raman Bhalla has sought immediate intervention of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who also holds the portfolio of power to avert the crisis and provide relief to the people of the region.
According to sources, the Minister has written a letter to the Chief Minister showing his grave concern over the power crisis being faced by the Jammu region during the winter months. The letter said that the Minister in the recent past at a number of occasions has taken up the issue with Power Secretary and stressed the need on taking urgent steps to improve the power supply by repairing and replacing the damaged transformers in some areas. But it appears that the focus of the department is somewhere else, the letter added.
The letter further said there are various areas in Jammu city and its outskirts which have been without power for days due to damaged transformers. Despite the repeated pleas by Minister to PDD regarding immediate repairs to damaged transformers and their replacement but there has been no positive response.
Mr Bhalla sources said in the letter has pointed out that being a local MLA, the people often knock his doors and even at times he had to face their wrath.
The letter said budgetary subvention of Rs 1 crore for each district for the improvement and upgradation of power infrastructure was granted recently. Though Rs 1 crore may be adequate for some districts but for the districts like Jammu whose demands being a highly urbanized centre and represented by many legislators are varied and unique in its own way, so the amount earmarked is inadequate for the district.
The letter stresses on conducting survey of the areas where transformers have been damaged and not repaired and replaced. It said that the repair of transformers in private factories is held up due to payment issue and the Minister has stressed that adequate fund be earmarked for the same.
The letter further said that hampering of power supply is also affecting the water supply in those areas.
It suggested that if the Government is short of funds in State plan, it could find way to divert funds available under RAPDRP under which Rs 600 to 700 crore are available on adhoc basis to be recouped later for meeting the most immediate petty infrastructural gaps as typified by the transformer repairs and replacements.
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