Battling to give some relief to the people from power curtailments amid scorching heat in Jammu province, authorities announced six hours of power curtailment in different parts of Jammu city on alternative days to ensure the supply of electricity in all areas.
Although Union Government has allocated 207 MW of additional power to the Union Territory to solve the problem, demand has been increased manifold due to soaring temperature, especially in the plains and Kandi belts of Jammu province.
Non-availability of adequate power has badly affected the supply of potable water in almost all areas of the Jammu, Samba, Kathua, and Udhampur districts.
UT administration is struggling to find a lasting solution to this problem and the patience of people is running out due to unscheduled power curtailment and the non-availability of drinking water. Protests against power cuts and the non-availability of adequate drinking water have become routine affairs in this part of the UT.
J&K suffers Rs 3400 crore annual losses on power
While addressing a function at Jammu on March 21, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the UT continues to face huge Transmission and Distribution (T&D) losses to the tune of Rs 3400 crores a year.
He said that J&K's power losses are huge. "Power theft and losses due to the T&D are very high. We buy power worth Rs 6000 crore annually; get only Rs 2600 crore revenue while our loss figure is Rs 3400 Crore," LG Sinha said.
He said that all previous regimes failed to explore the power potential of J&K and prevent power losses.
Sources said that the government was reluctant to purchase electricity from outside Jammu and Kashmir at exorbitant rates against the backdrop of a whopping annual revenue loss of over Rs 3,400 crore in the power sector.
The average electricity demand of Jammu and Kashmir is 2,400 MW while the UT administration claims to have been supplying 2,061 MW, registering a shortfall of 339 MW.
PDD taking steps to ensure power supply: Govt
The government, on the other hand, claimed that on Shab-e-Qadr, Power Development Department (PDD) was able to supply 1575 MW and 170 LAC units of energy which is the highest load served to Kashmir valley on the occasion of Shab-e-qadr from 1800 hrs of 28th April 2022 to 0600 hrs of 29th April 2022.
"This is 55 MW more peak achieved and about 7 Lac units of more energy supplied vis-a-vis last year's Shab-e-Qadr. During the same time period last year, 1520 MW peak load was served and 163 Lac units of energy were supplied", an official handout issued by the government stated.
The maximum load served on 29th April 2021 for Jammu Division was 1001 MW which was increased to 1145 MW on 29th April 2022. At 5 PM on 29th April 2021, 752 MW was served in Jammu Division which was increased to 1054 MW this year, which is 302 MW more than the last year. At 2 PM 29th April last year, 894 MW load was served which was increased to 1065 MW this year for Jammu Division. Similarly, at 3 PM last year, 945 MW was served which was enhanced to 1113 MW this year.
"We are trying to procure as much power as available at the energy exchange at whichever price. But, due to increased nationwide demand, we can avail limited power only. However, I am confident the situation will improve in the coming days and we will be able to give better supply," Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary, to the Lt Governor, said.
Cong holds protests against power pangs
Expressing his serious concern over unprecedented power crises in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in general and Jammu province in particular, former J&K Youth Congress president and member of AICC Pranav Shagotra regretted that the BJP-controlled administration has pushed this region into complete chaos and confusion.
"System appears to be completely collapsed as masses are struggling to get basic amenities like Bijli and Pani but those at the helm of the affairs are still in the deep slumber", Shagotra said while addressing a massive protest of party workers at Jammu.
Congress activists under the leadership of Pranav Shagotra participated in a protest march that started at Exhibition Ground and proceeded towards the old city. Cops did not allow the protest march to proceed further and took all Congress activists into custody.
Lambasting the "BJP-controlled administration" for adopting the inhuman approach to provide power to the people amid scorching heat, Shagotra said that the helplessness of the J&K government to purchase power during summer is a clear indication that the present regime is least concerned about people.
