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| JK lacks basic infrastructure to end power shortage | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Aug 16: The Centre's additional allocation of power to Jammu and Kashmir over the years has not helped the state as it still lacks basic required infrastructure for its transmission.
An official of Power Development Department said that additional allocation of power would end power crisis only when required infrastructure is in place. "The additional allocation of power would have helped the state only if it had required infrastructure," the official said.
At the same time, the government has shelved mega project through which the power distribution system could have been strengthened.
Official sources within the Power Development Department said that 10 centrally sponsored projects were sanctioned to the state under two schemes (DDUGJY and IPDS) for installation of poles and transmission lines. Each region was expected to get around Rs 600 crore under these two schemes for strengthening of power distribution system.
However, authorities of the PDD have "sabotaged" these nine projects, sources said.
Sources said that these projects were also aimed at reducing the transmission and distribution losses. The state has over 50 percent transmission and distribution losses, while the national average is around 30 percent. T&D losses according to various reports are mainly due to lack of up gradation of old transmission lines, and equipments.
An 850 kilometre power transmission line is set to be started. It has been completed by Sterlite Power. However, the official said that this transmission would have helped only if the state had required infrastructure available.
"This transmission will bring electricity from outside but we don't have local transmission of electricity available," the official said.
Sterlite Power, a private company started working on the project in August 2014 at a cost of around Rs 3,000 crore.
Nearly 1150 towers have been erected in some of the most challenging terrains of the Pir Panjal range. However, the official said that state has to strengthen the local infrastructure for the power.
He said that state currently produces only 800 MW of power. "Within three years it will require almost 4,000 MW of power," he said.
Last winter, the government of India announced an allocation of additional power of 792 MW for Jammu and Kashmir in view of higher demand in winters in the state. However, it did not help the state as the required infrastructure was not available. |
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