Srinagar, July 20: Over-billing of honest power consumers and bill payers, coupled with under-billing of certain groups of consumers who have made “special arrangements” with local staff, is denting the PDD’s mission of containing aggregate power transmission and distribution losses (AT&DT) losses in some areas of Kashmir.
While energy experts say that technical factors constitute a certain part of the problem, local-level manipulation of power equipment and intentional under-billing and over-billing of the power consumed constitutes a major challenge.
One particular case is that of Srinagar’s business hub – Lal Chowk-Residency Road areas – where under-billing and over-billing issues have left sections of the business community deeply disturbed.
A group of aggrieved businesses from several business areas of Lal Chowk, Residency Road, Budshah Chowk and The Bund told Ziraat Times that they have brought the issue to the attention of PDD officials at the Sheikh Bagh office, however, there has been no ‘meaningful response’.
Some consumers whose office and other establishments are closed due to Covid19 protocols, and have adopted work-from-home arrangements, are particularly affected.
The modus operandi
“Months of close examination of power billing system in Srinagar’s city centre area has revealed that under-billing is often done to benefit those groups of consumers who have arrangements with power officials on the ground. Systematically, over-billing is done for we honest consumers”, the group of aggrieved consumers told Ziraat Times.
In certain instances, techniques have been improvised wherein readings of power consumption both at transformer and power consumer meter levels are manipulated by field staff, causing immense loss to the exchequer.
An energy expert with expertise in power documentation and loss assessment equipment told this newspaper that newer and rudimentary techniques are being adopted at the ground level to manipulate the equipment.
“Unfortunately, this situation dents the government’s efforts in curbing the aggregate transmission and distribution losses (AT&DT) losses. This also disappoints honest power users and bill payers”, the energy expert said.
Executive Engineer based at the Sheikh Bagh PDD office could not be reached for his views on the matter despite several attempts.
Absence of consumer grievance redressal
In the crucial city centre area, consumers are also aghast over the non-availability of a consumer grievance redressal system, especially in the pandemic situation when they are expected to leave their homes and run from pillar to post.
“In my over-billing case I have been visiting the Executive Engineer’s Office at Sheikh Bagh for 3 weeks, but there is no response at the high level. I personally met the Ex-En with an application but, contrary to initiating action on the same, he, I learnt later, simply threw the application into the dustbin. When I went to the office again, I was again made to take print outs of the application and run from pillar to post, but nothing has happened so far”, said Muhammad Khalid, a consumer in the city centre.
Government’s targets on reducing power losses
Pertinently, on 17 July, 2021 Lieutenant Governor of J&K fixed three months’ timeline to reduce power losses by 10% in J&K. Reiterating the directions passed previously, the Lt Governor called for effective monitoring of feeders and instructed for initiating strict action against officials responsible for feeder losses. Specific directions were passed to strengthen the public grievance mechanism in the power department.
The Lt Governor also pre-poned the timelines of several power augmentation projects to October this year and further directed for making all procurements before the arrival of the winter season. He has also asked the power officials to come out with a strategy in a week’s time on how to reduce the power purchase costs.
Along with improving power supply position in J&K and reducing the AT&C losses, we also need to mobilize our resources on increasing revenue generation. Consumers paying bills should not be deprived of electricity, said the Lt Governor.