Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, May 23: With Northern Grid curtailing power supply to the State, the people of Jammu would get no respite from power crisis in this scorching heat as the problem will persist in coming time also.
According to sources, the Northern Grid, after the increase in temperature during last one week has suddenly curtailed the power supply to the State resulting into serious crisis and Power Development Department (PDD) was left with no alternative but to enforce undeclared curtailments at random throughout the Jammu region.
Sources said out of 1800 mw power supply from Northern Grid, the State is getting only 800 mw at present with the result there is a shortage of 1000 mw i.e more than half of electricity needed for consumption.
This sudden curtailment by Northern Grid has put the State in grave crisis as people were forced to face long duration power cuts during the day as well as night hours. In various areas the electricity is playing hide and seek putting the people to a lot of trouble.
The power crisis has also affected water supply in some areas as pumping of water at PHE reservoirs due to low voltage and power cuts has not been possible, sources said.
The problem has also affected the industry and other business establishments needing power supply round the clock, sources said, adding the problem is worst in rural and far-flung areas of the region.
The power crisis has added to woes of the people across the region and people apprehend the problem is bound to increase in coming days when mercury will further increase.
The members of business community and industry, which has to bear the brunt of power cuts, said that power crisis is eating up vitals of industry and if the same is not averted the situation will aggravate further for industrial and business houses.
President Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rakesh Gupta said that one fails to understand that IRCON work is going for years together now and “we feel that it is being poorly managed by Power Development Department (PDD) as there is no accountability in the Department”.
Gupta sought immediate intervention of Power Minister in the matter so that the people are not put to more problems in future months of June, July and August when the temperature will touch peak.
In Jammu city even the people are facing power cuts at a stretch for two to three hours and when light is restored for a while after over two hours cut it is enforced again within minutes and this has been a continuous process for last some time, said Makhan Singh, a resident of Digiana.
He asked if this is the problem in May what will happen in coming months of June and July. The Government should take adequate steps in improving power supply especially in summer when the consumption increases.
Earlier people were told that after the replacement of HT and LT lines by IRCON the power supply will improve but now for the years together the problem has not changed but has worsened.
However, Power Minister Sunil Sharma said that he is aware of the issue and has taken up the matter with the concerned authorities in Northern Grid. The Minister expressed the hope that the crisis will be overcome within some days which surfaced due to sudden curtailment of 1000 mw of power by Northern Grid. He said instead of 1800 mw of power from NG State is at present getting 800 mw only which has led to the sudden crisis. He, however, expressed hope that the matter will be sorted out within days as he is on the job.
Chief Engineer, M&RE, Jammu Ashwani Gupta said that the present crisis is result of sudden curtailment from NG and the Minster is in know of the matter. The crisis will be sorted out within days, he added.
The sudden problem has been due to the decrease in water level in rivers, he said, adding with the soaring of temperature the demand has also increased to a great extent. The load has also increased due to threshing of crop and irrigation of land.
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