While interacting with media, Chief Minister on Thursday admitted that Jammu and Kashmir is facing huge power distribution losses that is one of the factors responsible for electric power crisis here. The another issue he highlighted was the metering of unmetered areas as that would ensure lesser power pilferage.
It may be mentioned here that J&K’s AT&C losses are more than 50 percent while as other states have brought it down to 15-17 percent. The Chief Minister agreed about the losses saying, his government’s endeavour is to bring it down at least below 20 per cent so that people of the get more electricity.
It may be recalled here that National Conference, in its election manifesto had promised 200 units of free electricity to the consumers. When confronted with this question, CM told media that there are several areas which are yet to be metered and unless entire UT is metered, the government can’t count units and thus can’t fulfil its promise of free electricity.
Here, Chief Minister has a point. In absence of meters, how would government know which consumer is consuming what quantity of electricity. So to ensure that the deserving get the 200 units of free electricity, the concerned department should accelerate the process of metering so that such poor-friendly schemes are introduced.
That said, neither the Chief Minister nor the LG can’t ignore that besides AT&C losses, there is one more reality – that is J&K, waters are producing power but unfortunately that doesn’t belong to the people here. J&K is the only place which, despite generating electricity, remains in the dark as electricity generated here goes to the NHPC, which then sells it back to the people. Fact of the matter is that J&K had not harnessed even 20 percent of its potential in hydroelectricity, and what has been harnessed is mostly owned by the NHPC. The NHPC’s most profitable projects are in Jammu and Kashmir and therefore the people of J&K, instead of being net exporters of power, are net importers of power.
The electric power has been a main issue confronting Jammu and Kashmir. During winters, people of Kashmir Valley and Jammu’s winter zone suffer terribly as they have to face longer power cuts. In rural areas the situation turns more pathetic as people don’t get electricity even for eight hours in 24 hours. Same happens in Jammu plains during summers. When people here are in dire need of electricity to fight scorching heat, they have to face frequent power cuts.
In Jammu and Kashmir, one of the primary disputes has been over ownership and control of hydroelectric projects in J&K. As most of the power projects are owned by NHPC, locals argue that J&K has not been able to exercise full control or ownership over these resources, even though they are located within the region. They have been demanding that these assets should be transferred or jointly managed with the J&K government to ensure local benefits. It is therefore responsibility of both CM’s and LG’s offices to take steps to get the power projects back from NHPC as that is the only way to better the electricity scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.