*100% metering not possible before ending 2018-19
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 17: Shocking it may sound but it is a fact that Power Development Department is blatantly violating the law enacted by the J&K Legislature instead of implementing its provisions in letter and spirit. The dis-respect to the Legislature is continuing during the past over three years and the prevailing situation warrants suo-moto cognizance from the heads of both the Houses so as to punish those at the helm of affairs in this department.
The State Legislature in the year 2010 enacted J&K Electricity Act, which mandated supply of electricity to all consumers through correct meters only. Under this Legislation, the power supply was not legally possible to unmetered consumers beyond April 2012.
Section 49(1) of this Act explicitly states: “No licensee shall supply electricity, after the expiry of two years from the commencement of the Act, except through installation of a correct meter in accordance with the regulations to be made in this behalf by the Jammu and Kashmir State Electricity Regulatory Commission. The Commission may, by notification, extend the period of two years for a class or classes of persons or for such area as may be specified in that notification”.
“This Act is being violated with impunity by the Power Development Department and those at the helm of affairs are watching dis-respect of the State Legislature as mute spectator, which is totally unbecoming on their part”, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “the more shocking fact is that the violation of law by the PDD, which started from April 2012 onwards, is still going on despite being reprimanded by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) a number of times during the past over three years”.
In its petition dated April 25, 2012 before the SERC, the PDD had requested the Commission for extension of cut-off date for installation of 100% correct meters at all levels and to all persons. The Commission, while adopting sympathetic attitude towards the PDD, extended the period for supply of electricity beyond the expiry of two years from the commencement of the Act for installation of correct meters up to June 30, 2013.
However, the PDD failed to meet this deadline citing various challenges and constraints on the ground level. Later, the Commission vide its order dated April 21, 2014 adopted the revised metering plan, submitted by the PDD after being reprimanded by the SERC for achieving 100% metering by end of Financial Year 2015-16.
Much to the surprise of the SERC, the PDD has once again failed to meet the timelines and has yet again submitted a revised metering plan wherein it plans to meter all unmetered consumers in various categories by the end of Financial Year 2018-19, sources said, adding “in its proposed metering plan the PDD has not considered the provisions as laid down in Section 49(1) of the Act and the directives issued by the Commission in this context which states that no connections can be released except through installation of a correct meter by the PDD”.
Taking serious note of PDD time and again failing to meet the deadlines set for achieving 100% metering in the State, the Commission has now observed, “the failure to meter all consumers even after extension of deadline for 100% metering coupled with the fact that there have been huge variations in the submission of the Utility from time to time shows lack of seriousness on the part of the PDD”.
Stating that PDD has yet to approach the Government for placing the facts before the State Legislature for ratification of the extended dead line, sources said, “the Commission has again directed the PDD to seek approval of the revised deadline from the Legislature and by that time no new connection shall be allowed without installation of proper meters”, adding “the Commission has made it clear that it shall be the responsibility of the PDD to seek necessary approval of the Legislature on the proposed extended timelines for achieving 100% metering as early as possible”.
According to the official data, at present there are 6,79,353 unmetered domestic installations and 1,01,203 unmetered other installations. The PDD, which has stretched the metering process till 2018-19 Financial Year, has proposed to install 2,02,374 meters by ending current financial year; 2,52,537 during 2016-17 FY, 3,44,709 during 2017-18 FY and 3,48,103 meters during 2018-19 Financial Year. The PDD has included 3,98,869 meters to be installed for the new installations in these figures. During these years, the PDD would require 11,47,723 meters for 100% metering.
“Keeping in view the dilly dallying approach adopted by the PDD till date there are apprehensions over it succeeding in implementing its new metering plan”, sources said.
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