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| Meters of even many government installation do not function | | | Daya Sagar* | 3/25/2011 9:35:18 PM |
| J&K Cabinet had approved amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Electricity Act of Samvat 1997 on 30 December 2004. It was then hoped that intentions would be truly implemented to save the common man from undue burden of Taxes and inefficiency. The projections for power cost to state in 2011-12 J&K Budget and the recovery of sales projects a disgusting picture even after 5 years. Even after 2005 the power losses projected by JK Power development department have been nearly two thirds of the power distributed . No reason could justify 62 to 65% distribution losses. Then also Minister for Finance and Planning Muzaffar Hussain Baig has said that the mounting deficit in the revenue from power was inflating debt liabilities. Abdul Rahim Rather has conveyed similar position in 2011. J&K Finance Minister is surely hard pressed. So Mr. A R Rather should not have been expected to delivery some thing magical in 2011-2012 J&K Budget. What better could he deliver under the circumstances where he had to keep Rs 2400 Cr for power purchased from outside sources as against just Rs 1330 Cr. Projected recovery of cost of sales. I would not quote here details on the the figures on power purchased and cost recovered from sales. Rather it would be more revealing to note that even the Energy Units billed are not even half the Energy units distributed in lines. A large part of the revenue billed and collected is from the Government institutions. Even bills raised on government establishments are on flat rate basis. Meters of even the government installation do not function what to talk of private installations. One would ask who can dare tempering with the electric meters installed in government buildings / installations ?.Where is the fault ? Surely fault lies more with the supervisory / operational infrastructure of PDD.
In Kashmir the menace of “auto cuts” in winters often overrides the scheduled power cuts One of the reasons advocated is heavy short fall in collection of the cost of power consumed by the consumers. The reason is surely do not to legitimate logics.
So strange , meters in the government buildings, government quarters & bungalows allotted to government staff ( even superior service officers) donot meter as per consumption . Many bills are still raised on minimum charges basis. Why can not these meters run ? Where does lie the logic of those who point fingers on the hook load of those staying in juggies and slums?
No doubt it is also a fact that the consumers in the private sector / domestic sector too are responsible for unfair power consumption. Some families could be there who have 4 to 5 cell phone connections and may be paying bills worth Rs 5000 per month. But they may not be that fair towards power consumption. No doubt the people do pay the telephone bills to avoid default since the default would result in disconnection by the supplier. Some people argue that since the quality of power is poor and irregular , why should they pay .This is no justification and does not stand to any logic.
Accusing the electric inspectors/ meter readers too does not absolve the common citizen of the responsibility. It has to be realized that in many cases the theft goes untraced only when the watch and ward staff or the house owner fears disclosing the particulars of material lost .
The departmental machinery is totally unconcerned about the non payment of bills and the distribution losses ( I shall not call it transmission losses since the losses are three times than the quantity of power that can be allowed as transmission losses ). So much so a lot of confusion exists as regards the tariff ( cost per unit of power/ Kw Hr. ) as well as the minimum service charges based on the agreement load ( totally one sided). The power handling and distribution charges being projected by PDD are 200 percent of the power purchase cost. Such over heads are allowed in no trade. So, the subsidy on power that the PDD department / Government is projecting is not truthful.
J&K Power department had come up with the “Project”-- Electronic Meters. It had added further to the capital investment by the Government. The financial returns have not improved on the over all even after that. So, it is more of intentions and wills than paper plans. The difference in the efficiency of the electronic meters and the electromagnetic ( conventional ) meters could be hardly 3 to five percent but the losses have been around 65 %. So the deficit government could save heavy capital costs by making the conventional meters operational . For supervision enough of supervisory staff is there Have we made the meters in all government flats/ bunglows operational ? Why could not we do it? Where ever the power supply is to be given to VIPs/VVIPs free as per the perks the same should also be billed and paid by the Estates/ concerned department .This would atleast reveal the cost of perks to government servants / public servants. Such suggestions were made to Mr. M.A. Baig in 2005 but he did find it worth implementation. Hope Mr. A. R Rather considers the suggestions.
Simultaneously there is utmost need to (i) watch the honest of truthful consumers , (ii) and to encourage more consumers to adopt fair means of power consumption and to involve the community in truthful use of power supplied. For metered power supply the system of minimum charges as levied on the basis of contracted load should be done away with and instead a system of service charges ( Rs.10 to 15 per Kw ) on contract load basis . The consumption should be billed on the actual in addition to service charges ( this is done by some power boards / companies) . Although in 2007 the minimum charges were appreciable reduced but still there is a need for change. Similarly the power consumption slabs for change of tarrif should be reverted to pre 2007 basis to encourage the truthful consumers.
The present system of minimum charges per kilowatt is putting the truthful consumer to disadvantage. Those consumers who do not temper the supply lines and are there to pay as per the consumption have to unduly suffer when they are away from their home for longer periods and do not consume any power but have to still pay minimum charges.
Department may correct me for any major variation. There is sure discrepancy in the norms for the cost of electric power per unit over the slabs. These days the average living standards have risen. Power consumption in middle class families has increased due to use gadgets. So , atleast 400 Units should be provided at a unit rate lower than the maximum fixed for domestic power supply instead of present level of 200 Units.
State Government is already deficit in the fisc and hence power department has to be checked from further spending money unnecessarily on new electronic meters for replacement of all the conventional meters even where they are already installed.
No doubt the social awareness has to be created against theft on the state revenue .But simultaneously a tough action at the administrative level is the immediate need. Ofcourse the officers exposed to the public who have to enforce honesty among the consumers should be provided adequate judicial powers . Ofcourse , under the prevailing ground conditions the PDD officers /enforcement staff need be provided personal security staff in their offices as well as while on out door duty. (*Daya Sagar is a senior coloumnist on Jammu &Kashmir Affairs, dayasagr45 @yahoo.com 9419796096 }
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