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| J Consumed 14017.244 MUs & K 17234.051 | | Jammu paid Rs 1651.91 crore as power tariff & Kashmir only 1061.95 crore | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, June 4: People across Jammu province are seething with anger. There are many reasons which have added to their anger. One of the reasons is the erratic or no power supply and at a time when the day temperature ranges between 42 and 46 degree and the minimum temperature ranges between 24 and 30 degree. The truth is that the people of Jammu province have been facing worst ever power crisis in the midst of unbearable scorching summer. People of this province have never faced such a power crisis with the sweltering heat adversely impacting their economic and social activities and keeping majority of them awake in the night. Students are also the worst sufferers. The power crisis has also culminated in yet another crisis: erratic or no water supply. The situation has worsened to the extent that people do not get power for hours together. There are scheduled cuts and there are unscheduled cuts even in the metered localities. This is the position in the state's winter capital, Jammu. The situation is even worse in its outskirts as well as rural areas.
Jammu province has been facing the power crisis, notwithstanding the fact that the Jammu's Chenab river alone could produce more than 15,000 MW electricity. And, the discrimination with Jammu province is despite the fact that it has been paying more power tariff, as compared to Kashmir. The official figures suggest that while the ratio of power consumption in Kashmir and Jammu is 60:40, the ratio of power tariff paid by Kashmir and Jammu is 33:66. The figures of the last three years show that Jammu province consumed 4653.021, 4744.026 and 4620.197 MUs and paid Rs 507.62; 587.18; and 557.11 crores in the form of power tariff during 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12, respectively. In contrast, Kashmir consumed 5729,784 MUs during 2009-10, 5923.199 MUs during 2010-11 and 5581.086 MUs during 2011-12. As for power tariff, Kashmir paid Rs 314.92 crore during 2009-10, Rs 363.18 crore during 2010-11 and Rs 384.03 crore during 2011-12.
In other words, Jammu province consumed 14017.244 MUs during 2009-12 and paid power tariff to the tune of Rs 1651.91 crore and Kashmir consumed 17234.051 MUs during the same period and paid power tariff to the tune of Rs 1061.95 crores. To be more precise, Jammu consumed 3216.807 MUS less and paid 589.96 crores more as compared to Kashmir.
But there is none who is willing to look all these facts in the face. There is none in the concerned department to mitigate the hardships of the people caused by the unprecedented power crisis that has engulfed the entire Jammu province. The crisis is indeed mandate; it is the immediate fallout of the discriminatory policies which the Kashmiri-dominated and Valley-centric successive governments in the state have meticulously evolved and ruthlessly implemented. Remember, almost all the state power plants are located in the Valley. Besides, there are a number of gas turbines in the Valley. As for Jammu, it has to content with one small state power plant. It is located in Chenani and it generates 20 to 25 MW of electricity.
The worst aspect of the whole situation is the failure of the people's representatives in Jammu province to rise to the occasion and force the authorities to end discrimination with the people they represent in the legislature. There is a view in Jammu that the people's representatives, particularly who have been living in government accommodation, in Jammu proper are getting power supply round-the-clock. In this connection, they refer to certain legislators who have been allotted palatial buildings in Old Rehari.
Will the Chief Minister, who once got very angry with the Jammu University authorities for not ensuring sound system during the function he attended, take necessary steps to bring Jammu province at par with Kashmir as far as power supply is concerned?
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