CS Suspects ‘Connivance’, Directs PDD To Launch Crackdown On Power Theft
Jammu- Taking a strong note over some feeders registering 80-90% aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses, the Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta on Friday suspected ‘element of connivance’ and directed the officials to identify officials in whose jurisdiction, feeders are exhibiting surmounted losses and sustained electricity leakages through unauthorized connections.
Mehta passed these directions while chairing a meeting to review the functioning of the Power Development Department (PDD) and power scenario in Jammu and Kashmir here on Friday, an official spokesperson said.
The Chief Secretary, he said, asked the Department to ensure tight enforcement and crackdown on power theft through regular inspections, disconnections, and connection regularization.
In the meeting, the spokesperson said that it was informed that through sustained and dedicated efforts, the department has brought down the transformer damage rate to 23% and 29% in Jammu and Kashmir, respectively.
“These efforts include tagging all transformers with unique identification numbers to track their repair history and augmentation of distribution capacity by adding 4100 MVA. The Chief Secretary expressed his concern on the high damage rate and directed time-bound efforts to bring them down to the nationally accepted level,” he said.
Mehta, the spokesperson said, emphasized the reduction of AT&C losses to below 10% through installation of smart meters along with the usage of aerial bundled cables (ABC).
To further check electricity pilferage and leakage, he said, the department was asked to ensure installation of 100% meters on all feeders and transformers within one month.
“The Chief Secretary directed the Department to undertake an assessment of repetitive damages on transformer and location basis, besides identifying the repair workshops administering sub-standard repairs leading to recurrent damages and failures in transformers,” he said.
“The Department was asked to take disciplinary action against the delinquents in the matter, and submit a report within seven days,” he added.
According to the spokesperson, the Department was further directed to catalogue the health of its entire infrastructure including the feeders, transformers, transmission lines, meters, fuses, etc. and undertake planned modernization and upgradation towards reduction of AT&C loses and 24X7 reliable electricity supply.
“Moreover, the Chief Secretary asked the Department to consider bringing in an amnesty scheme for BPL and SECC 2011 beneficiaries to assist regularization of electricity connections in their favour through a system of easy payments of outstanding dues,” he added.
Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, Managing Directors, Jammu/Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited, Chief Engineers, and other senior officers of the Department attended the meeting.
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