Frequent power cuts across Jammu region
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 12: Throwing directives of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) to winds, the Power Development Department is resorting to power cuts in both metered and un-metered areas on its own volition. Interestingly, the Commission is also not taking cognizance of the violations despite having sufficient powers to take action against the Department.
Though the summer has yet not become severe but the Power Development Department has started resorting to power curtailments in the metered as well as un-metered areas. Presently, around 8 hours long curtailment is being effected in the non-metered areas and more than three hours in the metered areas.
No doubt power cuts in the non-metered areas can be somehow justified but the curtailments in the 100 per cent metered areas is a breach of trust with the consumers as the Department had convinced the people for metering of their connections only on the commitment that there would be round the clock power supply in such areas.
Notwithstanding the problems being faced by the people, the Department is resorting to curtailments on its whims and caprices and in sheer violation of the directives of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC), which in its order on Annual Revenue Requirement and Determination of Retail Tariffs for the financial year 2012-13 had directed the Department to give wide publicity to the curtailment schedule and formally communicate the same to the Commission on each occasion along with the reasons thereof.
“Neither the PDD is giving wide publicity to the curtailment schedule either in the metered or in non-metered areas nor it is communicating the same to the Commission”, official sources said.
When asked about the reasons behind curtailments in the metered areas, Chief Engineer EM&RE, Jammu, Shahnaz Goni said, “there is unregistered load on our system even from the metered areas as such we are compelled for power cuts”.
However, the Chief Engineer’s statement has no ground as SERC has repeatedly directed the Department to constitute a task force in each circle to carry out massive raids on regular basis to check pilferage of electricity. Moreover, the Commission has repeatedly been laying stress on revision of load agreements of all consumer categories to assess the realistic/ actual connected load and the maximum demand so that T&D network can be planned and constructed accordingly.
“Keeping in view these directives of Commission, the Chief Engineer cannot put the ball in the court of people and she has to make her own officers and officials accountable”, sources said.
“As far as load in the un-metered areas is concerned, again the PDD is at fault as instead of carrying out comprehensive metering exercise on a large scale it is preferring to resort to power cuts”, sources further said, adding “the directions of the SERC in this regard are also not being followed in letter and spirit”.
“For the inconvenience to the people only PDD cannot be held responsible as despite being aware of the fact that Department is working on its whims, the SERC is not taking any cognizance of the violations of its directives”, sources regretted, adding “it seems that SERC is in deep slumber”.
“The SERC is mum on this issue despite the fact that as per the licensing conditions, it has the powers to take penal action against the Power Development Department for deficiency in providing power supply to the consumers”, sources regretted, adding “instead of being mute spectator to the PDD’s policy of working at its whims and caprices, the SERC should put the Department in the dock and take action as per the laid down guidelines”.
Sources further said, “making PDD accountable is also imperative as water supply is also directly associated with the availability of power”, adding “as the summer will be harsh in the coming months the PHE Department should not remain dependent upon the PDD only and make some alternate arrangements to ensure proper functioning of its all pumping stations even during the period of curtailments”.
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