| Frequent power cuts, inflated electricity bills leave consumers high & dry | | PDD imposing inflated power bills | | Avinash Azad
Jammu, Dec 23: As the state is under grip of severe cold wave, the frequent power cuts and inflated electricity bills have left the consumers high and dry. Moreover NC patron and Union Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah had questioned functioning of Power Development Department (PDD). Amazingly, a week ago, a question mark was raised over the functioning of PDD by none other than Union Minister and NC's Patron Dr Farooq Abdullah.
Father of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Dr Farooq Abdullah while reacting over what he call inflated power bills, on being list of defaulters issued by the Power Development Department (PDD) and National Conference headquarters at Srinagar "Nawai Subah" was also among the of defaulters, had said, "Either the Bill is wrong or there will be some mistake. Let us check from the general secretary of the party in this regard." Dr Abdullah told reporters on December 15 when his attention was drawn that in the power starved state of Jammu and Kashmir ruling party is one of the defaulters.
As reported in media, "Nawai Subah" in Srinagar is among 148 defaulters including 119 in Jammu and 29 in Kashmir Valley. The list of defaulters was issued by PDD a couple of days back. 'Nawai Subah', the Headquarters of National Conference in Srinagar owed Rs 11.49 lakh to the Power Development Department. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is the working president of National Conference, also holds the Power Ministry charge in the State. According to official data PDD has failed to recover about Rs 189 crore pending tariff from influential persons and government offices.
A senior NC leader on conditions of anonymity alleged that to meet its targets, the PDD is intentionally imposing huge amount among its consumers. "Cash trapped, PDD is deliberately imposing inflated power bills to customers, which is totally wrong and it is duty of State Electricity Regulatory Commission to mend wrong doing of the department", he said, adding that but being statuary body to check functioning of PDD in state, the consumers are facing difficulties. Reports further said on December 13, 2013 a large demonstration at Kishtwar was also observed against inflated power bills. It is pertinent to mention here that despite being under extreme pressure from the government, the incentive schemes like Voluntarily Load Disclosures Scheme, (VLDS) onetime settlements of pending electricity bills introduced by the department has failed to evoke much response from government, semi- government, private and commercial establishments which owe huge tariff to PDD, pending from years. However, when contacted Chief Engineer, PDD Jammu, Shehnaz Goni said that department was not imposing inflated power bills. He said, "Department is imposing flat rate among those consumers, who have been bypassing meters", adding that bypassing their meters, most of the customers are consuming power than meter reading. She further informed that by October ending PDD has fined Rs five crore, on those consumers who are evading their actual load. |
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