Privatized Power

Anexus between Power Development Department officials, private workshop owners and consumers has surfaced in the central Kashmir’s district of Budgam with startling revelations about the state exchequer being duped of lakhs of rupees on account of the power tariff. Even as the power supply all over the state falls under government sector scores of villages in the district seem to have declared their independence in that they enjoy the most sought-after essential commodity almost gratis, due to a sinister tie-up forged by the apparently helpless consumers with PDD officials and others connected with the key sector. According to a report circulated by a local news agency, CNS, the residents of Sebdan, Galwanpora and Nasrullapora, to name only a few villages out of many, have not paid a single penny on account of power tariff for 15 years past, while enjoying unlimited supply against a consideration of a negligible Rs 50 allegedly paid unto the field officials as a monthly tip. The villagers of Sebdan Galwanpora told CNS that when a transformer broke down and they approached the PDD authorities to get it repaired, they were allegedly told that an amount of Rs 20,000 had been fixed as bribe for a 100-kilowatt transformer. “People pay the money and get transformer,” they were told. Instead of bribing the unscrupulous officials, the villagers raised Rs four lakh and bought seven transformers directly from the market and got these installed. Having got the transformers, the villagers allegedly struck an arrangement with the PDD officials, under which every household was required to pay Rs 50 as tip every month instead of having to pay the prescribed power tariff. At least, 20 villages have reportedly bought three transformers from the market, while 50 odd other villages followed suit, and the consumers make full use of electricity, pay their tips and do not deposit a single penny with the state exchequer. Equally disturbing is the fact that 220 allegedly unauthorized mills have either purchased transformers on their own or got them installed by the PDD against hefty considerations. Transformers being provided under a centrally-sponsored scheme are also available at a premium. The overall loss to the state exchequer because of this racket is believed to run into Rs 10 crore a year.

Even otherwise, a parallel system has been in vogue in the PDD for decades past under which most consumers across the state have an understanding with its field staff under which they get a fixed tip every month to allow the former to get power on payment of token tariff. Lately, the government added yet another dimension to the mess by going ahead with selective installation of electronic meters in some localities of the city and some towns leaving the vast majority of households outside the scheme. According to official sources, only five per cent consumers get metered power while 95 per cent get unlimited supply. Being penny wise and pound foolish, the department, in fact, incurs heavy losses of revenue due to the alleged mass hooking by metered consumers. Even while introducing some sanity in power consumption, the government is blind to some chronic ailments the department has been suffering from, particularly in maintenance, systems and operations wings. Lack of adequate maintenance of distribution system is behind the frequent snags because of which unscheduled curtailment is resorted to in various areas, not as a one time exception but as a rule. It is widely alleged that funds provided for maintenance and oiling of the system is pocketed by PDD officials. As a result, there have been occasions when even a receiving station was rocked by a blast after some naughty mongoose strayed into its live machinery. No less scandalous has been the frequent transformer damage, a phenomenon sparking protest demonstrations, particularly in various parts of the valley during winter. On the pretext of being over-worked, the departmental workshops routinely direct the desperate consumers of the affected localities to get the repairs done at private workshops. Even as the authorities come out with paid advertisements in the local media advising the people against this, there is no denying bulk of the transformer repair work is done by private workshops suggesting their nexus with PDD officials. Enjoying official patronage, some former engineers of the department are believed to have set up workshops to make some fast bucks in the process. No wonder that, on learning about the murky goings-on in PDD during Mufti rule, an upright minister of state put in his papers after giving a piece of mind to a chief engineer. While admitting he had lost his cool, the minister was candid enough to speak of the presence of some “big sharks” in the department. It is time the government initiated steps to revamp the working of the top-heavy department sooner than later.

The article is an editorial from KO’s archives and was

originally published on Friday, April 07, 2009