Power failure in remote areas of the state is usually taken very casually by the authorities. The simple reason is that the affected people being in a remote place cannot bring their complaint to the authorities or stage demonstrations. Remoteness cannot be an excuse for any inordinate delay in restoring the fault whenever it happens. PDD has elaborate manpower to handle the faults when these happen; it has trained engineers and junior staff at all stations. Shortage of technical staff again cannot be the excuse for delay in restoration of power supply. It is essentially lackadaisical attitude of concerned authorities that leads to inordinate delay in restoring power supply.
This being the general approach in the PDD, the point in sight is of Bani, again a hilly and far-flung area in Jammu region. During the months of January and February, there was heavy snowfall and lashing rains over the area which caused damage to as many as twenty-two electric transformers with the result that the entire area fed by these transformers plunged into darkness. The Power Minister has sought alibi behind non-availability of transformers to replace the damaged ones. If the buffer stock of transformers was exhausted, it was the duty of the department to replenish the buffer stock in good time. Engineers and authorities in the Department need not be reminded that ours is a hilly state and snowstorms and heavy rains are part of our life. Disruption of power supply is a recurring phenomenon in more vulnerable parts of our state. It has to be expected at any time during winter especially when there is heavy snowfall. One cannot understand the reason for complacency on the part of authorities in not replenishing the exhausted stock. Notably the transformers were provided to the region under the Union Government’s RGGVY scheme. That is fine, but how sad that the State PDD cannot even arrange to repair the damaged ones as quickly as it could. Accepting for a while the plea of power minister that “the spare damaged transformers cannot be repaired in the divisional workshop being of shell type design”, what then will the department do with the situation? If the remaining 14 transformers could not be repaired at the divisional workshop owing to non availability of some technical facilities, it was logical that the authorities immediately explore the possibility of sending the transformers to such workshops as had the facilities to repair these. What was the reason for delaying a crucial decision knowing that the people were put to great inconvenience?
It is also enigmatic that while the PDD has introduced 25 KVA capacity transformers it has not cared for providing adequate service and repair facility despite knowing that the transformer are prone to damages and faults. This is called capriciousness on the part of authorities. The matter of 14 transformers staying dysfunctional for more than a month was raised by a member in the LA. It was in reply to a call attention motion by the MLA of the region. It was in reply to the question that the Minister told the house that the damaged transformers would be sent to another workshop for repairs where facility was available. The Minister should call an explanation from the engineers whose duty it was to take quick action in finding replacement of the transformers? It is a matter of accountability and PDD comes under Services Act. After all somebody must be held responsible for dereliction of duty. What does it mean to bring in the Act but not make use of it? Bani is not the only region where this type of problem has been encountered. Punish the concerned for negligence and you will find excellent results of enforcing the law of accountability.
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