Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 11: The Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department being headed by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh has adopted discriminative approach by ordering round the clock power supply barely in Bari Brahmana Industrial area ignoring other industrial estates: Birpur, Gangyal, Akhnoor, Samba, Udhampur, Ghatti, Kathua etc.
Moreover, Minister of State for Power Muhammad Ashfar Mir during Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly on concluding day of session had said, "round the clock Electricity supply is not possible at the moment as state does not have required resources needed for replacing obsolete infrastructure".
The statement of MoS is also incoherent to the direction of his senior colleague and Dy. CM, who directed uninterrupted power supply to Bari Brahmana industrial estate.
According to the orders , Chief Engineer Maintenance and Rural Electrification Wing of PDD has been asked to ensure round the clock power supply, only in Bari Brahmana Industrial area.
"The order was reportedly passed by PDD Minister, following a request by Bari Brahmana Industrial Association to him, in this regard", sources said.
Confirming the orders by Deputy Chief Minister, Chief Engineer M&RE, Ashwani Gupta said that the department has decided to provide 24X7 power supply to those areas, where revenue realization was more than 100 percent.
He further said that they have been verifying the load position, revenue realization from various areas. "Whether domestic or industrial, if revenue realization is above 80 percent in a particular area, round the clock power supply will be provided", he said.
On being asked, why the order is not implemented in other industrial areas including Gangyal, Birpur, Kathua, he replied that they have been assessing the load and revenue realization position.
On being asked, if the survey of Bari Brahmana was already conducted and whether it was not selective approach of department he said that it was done under instructions of Deputy Chief Minister .
The statement of Chief Engineer EMRE is also in contradiction to the statement given by MoS power in the legislative assembly and only portend towards the selective approach of department.
Sources informed Early Times that as per the letter forwarded by PDD Chief Engineer office to various concerned departments, a copy of representation of Bari Brahmana Industrial Area (BBIA) along with a letter, which reads, "On the advice of Deputy Chief Minister, it is being informed that 24X7 power supply must be ensured to Bari Brahmana Industrial area".
Criticizing the alleged discriminatory approach of PDD, an industrialist from Samba said that Bari Brahmana was in Samba Industrial area, but same order was only for Bari Brahmana and not for all industries located in Samba district.
He further said that if PDD had failed to realize 100 percent revenue from Industries, then it was their fault and not of public and action must be taken against the officials of department for their failure. "The order must be implemented in other areas also and PDD must not adopt a discriminatory approach", he said. |
