Jammu, July 18: Even as the government’s much-ambitious e-metering project has failed to check cent percent power pilferage in the state, the Power Development Department (PDD) has formulated Rs 130 crore plan named” Fencing” under Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (APDRP) to improve financial viability of state power utilities, besides stopping power theft.
 According to official sources, the plan proposal  being given final shape,  in the first phase, would be implemented simultaneously in 30 towns of the state, including  11 towns of Jammu province and 19 towns that of Kashmir Province.
 Sources said that the project would be extended to other towns after the assessment of its feasibility.
 “As per the “Fencing” plan, sensitive meters would be installed on all outlets and inlets at Receiving Stations to check inflow and outflow of power for restoring the commercial viability of the Distribution Stations,” sources added.
 Sources said that the PDD has invited a national level tenders for installing ‘sensitive meters’ at receiving stations in 30 towns of the State. “The WIPRO Technologies has been awarded tender for making lowest bid and the project ‘Fencing’ would be started soon,” sources said.
 Sources said that the PDD has set a target of Rs 1000 crore revenue collections during the current financial year. Last financial year, the PDD had achieved revenue of Rs 937 crore.
 Insiders in the department however, lamented that all measures to contain power pilferage have proved ineffective due to “large scale corruption” in the department.
 Talking to Greater Kashmir, Chief Engineer PDD Jammu Muhammad Qasim, said that the plan has been designed to ensure 100 per cent check on power theft here. “Though we installed e-meters on residential and commercial places, the complete success over power pilferage has yet not been achieved. The plan has been formulated in such a way   that will ensure   consumers’ satisfaction, besides increased reliability and quality of power supply,” he said.
 “Highly sensitive meters would be installed on inlets and outlets at receiving stations to keep a record on inflow and outflow of power on such stations. After getting the readings of these sensitive meters, the department would get exact feed back of power consumption in a particular locality. It would b helpful in checking power theft in a big way,” he added.
 He said that the project would initially be launched in 30 towns in the State while it would be implemented in other towns also.
 Qasim confirmed that WIPRO Company has been assigned the job of installing ‘highly sensitive’ meters at all receiving stations as it had made lowest bid.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 18 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST