J&K losing 45 MW of power
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Dec 15: While the one unit of Upper Sindh Hydel Project Stage IInd, Kangan in Ganderbal district of Kashmir Valley is defunct as the authorities of Power Development Corporation (PDC) failed to restore it till date after it developed a snag about nine months back, the nine MW Sewa Power Project in Basohli tehsil of Kathua district in Jammu region is also defunct since 2012 with a portion of its canal developing a breach soon after some years of its commissioning.
According to sources, the total capacity of power generation from the three units of USHP IInd is 105 MW during peak hours in Summer with each unit generating 35 MW of power. Since its one unit developed a snag, the generation has been reduced to 70 MW since last over nine months.
However, the power generation further decreased in Winter months due to fall in water level in rivers and the project out of 70 MWs from its two functional units hardly generates 35 MWs during peak hours at present while during the day time the generation comes down from 35 MWs to 10 or 15 MWs, sources said.
They added that one unit of the Project became defunct after there was a leakage in the Wangat Canal at Burnbug area of Kangan. Though the work was tendered for restoration of project but the opening of tenders were delayed by six months and later the contractor refused to start the work on the plea that the cost of material has escalated during last six months and it has doubled now. The contractor made it clear to the Corporation that had the tenders been opened on time, he would have even completed the work by now.
Sources said the contactor turned down the proposal to start the work and demanded higher rates that resulted in deadlock and delay in restoration work.
“As J&K is already facing acute power shortage throughout the year, the failure of the authorities to restore the power projects has constantly added to the problem,” they added.
Another cause for delaying the restoration of the projects is shortage of engineers. The post of Chief Engineer, Civil Investigation Kashmir, which falls under Power Development Corporation (PDC) is vacant for a long time. While the Executive Engineer of Civil Maintenance Division USHP IInd is also lying vacant for a long time, sources added.
Sources said one Chief Engineer is holding charge of four CEs in PDC. Besides, holding the charge of Executive Director PDC, he has been given additional charge of CE, CID Kashmir, CE CID Jammu, CE New Ganderbal with the result the Government works suffer constantly.
They said in addition to this, the post of Executive Engineer of Civil Maintenance Division USHP IInd is also vacant and charge has been given to Executive Engineer, New Ganderbal, Division First who is also holding the charge of New Ganderbal Division IInd and Sindh Valley Division Kangan. When an engineer is already overburdened with work how can he do justice to his job with the result the official work suffers a lot.
Sources said the Sewa Hydel Project in Basohli tehsil of Kathua district in Jammu division which is defunct since 2012 has not been restored till date though officials at that time made claims of restoring the project within a year. Now nine years have passed and the project has still not seen light of the day.
However, highly placed official sources in PDC said that USHP IInd is defunct as the machinery has developed a snag and expressed the hope that the Unit will be restored by April next year.
About Sewa Hydel Project, he said the project is not generating electricity since 2012 after a portion of its canal was washed away by floods. He said the civil work has been done and for mechanical work the DPR has been sent to IIT Roorkie. He expressed confidence that the project will also be restored soon.
On the shortage of engineers in the PDC he said, the PDC has not its own cadre and the engineers are being posted in the Corporation by Government. “We have written to Government regarding filling up of vacant posts of Chief Engineers and Executive Engineers and are hopeful that soon the vacant posts will be filled up”, he added.
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