Jammu, January 11
The ban on heating appliances in Jammu and Kashmir is being defied by several influential persons said to be close to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, while common people are targeted by the power development department (PDD).
The ban on heaters imposed by Mr Azad due to acute shortage of electricity in the state came into force on January 1.
However, reports of certain ministers, legislators and bureaucrats defying the ban were pouring in. While the PDD officials were apparently afraid of checking pilferage of electricity by these dignitaries, houses of common people are raided almost every day to seize appliances.
Certain top functionaries of the government having offices in and around the secretariat complex here continue to enjoy warmth generated by electrical appliances bothering little for power shutdowns in other parts of the city that have virtually stalled the industrial activity and put the routine out of gear.
A Congress MLA, who is considered close to Mr Azad and is in the run for a ministerial berth, was drawing electricity with a “kundi connection” in his house in Trikuta Nagar. Some of his supporters in the locality were also allegedly enjoying such facility with his blessings, as the PDD men dare not check their houses.
Another Congress legislator, who was a minister in the Mufti’s cabinet, was seen heating appliances in his drawing room.
Not less than three heat convectors were installed in his sitting room where he meets delegations of his area.
Voices of protest against the ban have been raised in the Kashmir valley where the temperature was freezing. Mr Azad faced an awkward situation when the PDD officials started raiding residential premises in the valley and here even before the ban became applicable. He has ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter.
The PDD launched an advertisement campaign in local newspapers warning people against misuse of electricity. However, such advertisements have failed to deter the influential persons.
The PDD had, some time ago, started replacing the traditional electric meters with electronic meters in the premises of the consumers. However, the work was going on at a snail’s speed. Against the target of installing 10 lakh meters, around 66181 were installed during the past two years. Installation of electronic meters has been completed in 20 areas of the Kashmir valley, while it has been done at nine places in the Jammu division and at 20 other places the work has so far been done partially. Several ministers and bureaucrats allowed the PDD to install electronic meters in their houses following a lot of criticism in the media.
Although the government had promised that there will be no power shutdowns in the localities where 100 per cent electronic metering has been done, but it has failed to meet the commitment because of the electric crisis. Such areas were these days facing frequent power failures.
The state government has decided to purchase 10 lakh new meters that would be installed at residential and commercial premises.
However, reports of theft of electricity have come from the places where electronic meters have been installed. Complaints of certain household consumers having bypassed the meters in connivance with officials of the PDD have also been received.
On the revenue front also the PDD has to collect arrears amounting to Rs 1200 crore from the domestic, industrial and government consumers. Various government offices have not yet paid arrears of electricity consumption worth Rs 700 crore. Certain wings of the PDD itself owe Rs 5 crore towards power consumption.
(
