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| Security threat, slow internet may delay privatization of power sector in J&K | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 2: Security threat, slow internet speed and poor infrastructure may delay privatization of power sector in Jammu and Kashmir,
The Union government in the month of May had decided to privatize all electricity discoms in the Union Territories including the newly created UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. It was later announced by the UT administration that it has decided to install smart meters in the capital cities of Jammu and in Srinagar in the first phase.
The decision had evoked strong resentment from Jammuites as maximum of the smart meters were decided to be installed in Jammu and later the government had modified its decision to install equal number of meters in Jammu as well as Srinagar cities. Few days back it was reported that the security reasons might hamper privatization of power in UT of Jammu and Kashmir but sources in the department informed that the slow internet speed as well as poor infrastructure are the significant factors, which may hamper the privatization. “The smart meters require internet connectivity for recharge as well as for proper functioning but in Jammu and Kashmir the 2G internet connectivity will be a major hurdle for smooth functioning of the smart meters”, an engineer of the department said, adding that without the availability of 4G internet services, the smart meters will not be able to function properly.
The official said that if some of the customers fiddle with the smart meter, the same would be easily detected and the violator would be punished but the slow internet speed is a major hurdle.
The sources further disclosed that in the last over a decade, the department has installed three different types of electric meters. “Every time the public money has been spent to purchase the meters as well as for improving the power infrastructure, there is very minimum change in the transmission and distribution losses”, an official said.
The official further said that the poor power distribution infrastructure is another reason, which could hamper the privatization of the power. “Before privatization of the power distribution, the supply lines have to be replaced with insulated wires but the replacement of old wires has not been completed in majority of the areas”, sources said, adding that until all the infrastructure would not be as per the requirement of the private companies, it would be very difficult to privatize the power sector in Jammu and Kashmir. |
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