news details |
|
|
| Fragile power transmission system needs overhauling | | |
When it snows in Kashmir the electricity lines succumb to the weight of snow disrupting the electricity supply.Whenever rains and storms hit Jammu and its adjoining areas the power transmission lines start trembling either forcing the authorities to snap the power supply or the supply system breaks with the rupture in the lines.The entire power transmission system in Jammu and Kashmir is so fragile that the lines that carry electricity to the residential houses and to the industrial units fail to withstand even the mild fury of rain,storm and snow.During the last over 30 years the state has been witnessing severe shortage of electricity forcing the authorities to resort to load shedding.The irony of the distribution system is that the period of load shedding is increased in the Kashmir valley during the winter months when the people need to keep their rooms warm and secure against darkness of the days and nights.The authorities resort to
six to
nine-hour load shedding in Jammu during the summer months when people need electricity for keeping their airconditioners,coolers and fans on.And when the state has been facing severe odds owing to electricity shortage the Government should have taken in hand measures for upgrading the electricity transmission and supply system.People detest power lines tottering even under mild rain or storm.
Day in and day out political leaders,especially those belonging to the ruling organisation,are heard annoucing that Jammu and Kashmir state has a potential of generating 20,000 MWs of electricity.And what is the latest position as far as total power generation is concerned.Till date the total generation of electricity from the state's water resources has gone to over 2318 MWs,out of which 1560 MWs are in the central sector.And on an average the gap between the demand and availability of electricity ranges between 250 and 300 MWs a day.Whether as a result of natural phenomenon or out of ill planniong or as the outcome of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 the power generation drops between 24 and 40 per cent during the winter months.It is so because of the marked drop in the water level in the rivers of Jehlum,Chenab and the Indus.So far no answer has been found to this problem.If this problem goes unchecked and unresolved there does not
seem to
be any need for investing several hundred crores of rupees on setting up new power plants.It is better for the state to allocate sizeable amount of money for purchasing electricity from other states or from the northern grid.
Another Government failure is seen in its failure to check transmission and distribution losses.The state of Jammu and Kashmir tops the list of those states where the transmission and distribution losses in electricity have multiplied power shortage problem.In Jammu and Kashmir the transmission and distribution losses ranges between 45 and 47 per cent.This means that if the state has power availability of 2318 MWs only 1200 MWs as the rest was being lost in transmission.There are two areas of transmission and distribution losses.One is the losses that are on account old and outdated power transmission lines.Secondly the losses are the result of unauthorised and illegal power connections.Rough estimates reveal that more than 10,000 connections in the state are illegal because these connections have not been registered with the Power Development Department.In addition to this majority of people use electricity beyond the load contract
with the
PDD.This way enough electricity is wasted on these illegal connections.The Government has to develop a system under which power consumers were unable to steal electricity.A system has to be evolved under which consumers are kept under a constant watch and selective inspections were carried out.Secondly,the transmission lines have to be replaced and the proper way was to lay down an underground transmission system that would remain insensitive to the fury of rain,storms and snow.On account of this weak and fragile transmission lines people have been seen praying for rainless days in Jammu even during the sultry weather.People have been seen praying for snowless and stormless days in the winter in Kashmir because they do not want the power supply to get disrupted.The only alternative to weak transmission system and distribution losses is to increase power generation from 2300 MWs to atleast 7,000 MWs in the immediate future.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
