“Relying wholly on hydroelectric power supply and purchasing additional power from Northern Power Grid Corporation but doing no work on developing thermal and gas power plants is an old conventional practice and continuing it in future also would by all standards of understandabilities unprecedentedly increase power curtailments in coming months also”.
Though still more than three months are left for the commencement of winter in Kashmir Valley, the power curtailments are being unprecedentedly increased day after day both in Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. Rising power cuts in early autumn this year have genuinely triggered fears of an erratic power supply this winter more in Kashmir valley and less in Jammu division as long duration power cuts are a routine practice during winter in Kashmir and during summer in Jammu division. True it is that there has been unprecedented decline in hydroelectric power generation due to unprecedented hot and dry weather in peak summer months across Jammu & Kashmir this year but it is also an irrefutable fact that Government is not as extensively developing thermal and gas power plants as it is developing hydroelectric power plants in both Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. Relying wholly on hydroelectric power supply and purchasing additional power from Northern Power Grid Corporation but doing no work on developing thermal and gas power plants is an old conventional practice and continuing it in future also would by all standards of understandabilities unprecedentedly increase power curtailments in coming months also. Following the institutional and operational restructuring of the power development department during last three years the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Ltd (KPDCL) is looking after power distribution in Kashmir Valley and Jammu Development Corporation Ltd (JPDCL) in Jammu division.
“Notably Since last two months around 26,000 power consumers after shifting to pre-paid power tariff payment system are depositing power tariff bills totalling to not less than Rs 8-10 Crores a month alone in Srinagar city and an equal no of power consumers in Jammu city after shifting to pre-paid power tariff payment system would be also depositing not less than Rs 8 crores a month. With revenue collection picking up fast in both the twin capital cities both Kashmir Power Development Ltd (KPDCL) and as well as Jammu Power Development Corporation Ltd (JPDCL) cease the moral right to enforce long duration power cuts atleast in the twin capital cities Srinagar and Jammu. While paucity of funds can’t be now cited a reason for inability to purchase additional power from Northern Power Grid Power Corporation and develop thermal and gas power plants amid unprecedented rise in power tariff collections in the twin capitals, administrative wisdom demands that Government takes some immediate measures for purchasing additional power supply from Northern Power Grid Corporation besides developing thermal and gas power plant to reduce the power cuts to just 1-2 hours a day both in Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division”.
With the installation of smart meters and introduction of pre-paid power tariff payment system in the twin capital cities Srinagar and Jammu the non payment of monthly power tariff bills can’t be blamed for rising power curtailments at least in the twin capital cities Srinagar and Jammu from here onwards. Notably Since last two months around 26,000 power consumers after shifting to pre-paid power tariff payment system are depositing power tariff bills totalling to not less than Rs 8-10 Crores a month alone in Srinagar city and an equal no of power consumers in Jammu city after shifting to pre-paid power tariff payment system would be also depositing not less than Rs 8 crores a month. With revenue collection picking up fast in both the twin capital cities both Kashmir Power Development Ltd (KPDCL) and as well as Jammu Power Development Corporation Ltd (JPDCL) cease the moral right to enforce long duration power cuts atleast in the twin capital cities Srinagar and Jammu. While paucity of funds can’t be now cited a reason for inability to purchase additional power from Northern Power Grid Power Corporation and develop thermal and gas power plants amid unprecedented rise in power tariff collections in the twin capitals, administrative wisdom demands that Government takes some immediate measures for purchasing additional power supply from Northern Power Grid Corporation besides developing thermal and gas power plant to reduce the power cuts to just 1-2 hours a day both in Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division.
