Owais Gul
Srinagar, Oct 23: The electricity losses to the Power Development Department are increasing in Jammu and Kashmir as the annual interest on the loan amount of Rs 31000 crore to pay the power dues by the government is increasing by nearly Rs 5000 crore.
Sources privy to the development said that there is enough power capacity in transmission. “At present, there is a power capacity of 3000 Megawatts in the transmission, but only 1400 MWs are being supplied as the department has no money available to procure more electricity,” the sources said.
They added that the lack of money is the outcome of the delay in paying electricity tariff by the consumers. “If consumers would be able to pay the electricity dues on time, it would be easier for the government to ensure adequate electricity to the people,” they said.
About the losses due to the lack of public coordination, the sources said that the government had to get a loan of Rs 31000 loan last year to pay the electricity dues borrowed from outside.
“Interestingly, the annual interest on the loan amount is increasing by Rs 5000 crore, which adds to the losses every year in Jammu & Kashmir,” sources said, adding that if the consumers start paying the electricity dues on time, the situation would improve at an earliest.
Earlier this year, Kashmir Power Distribution Limited Corporation (KPDCL) launched a drive against the ‘chronic defaulters’ by disconnecting the electricity supply to 1350 consumers having smart meters.
The officials had said that the KPDCL has disconnected the power supply to 1350 consumers having smart meters.
“The process to disconnect the electricity supply to chronic defaulters is already going on. There is nothing new in it. But, for the first time, the consumers having smart meters have faced the action,” he had said.
