Jammu, Apr 24: Official auditor CAG has criticised the Jammu and Kashmir government for “failing to implement a high voltage distribution system” (HVDS) resulting in increase of T&D losses to over 62 per cent in 2010-11.
 "No follow up steps have been taken to introduce this system (HVDS) in the areas to reduce losses and pilferage of power supply in Jammu  and Kashmir," the Comptroller and Audior General said in its report  for the year ended March 31, 2011.
 It added, "Though non-inclusion of HDVS and inclusion of more Low  Tension (LT) lines in project report have been commented upon in the Report of CAG for the year ended March 31, 2006, no corrective measures have been taken, instead LT lines had continued to be added".
 During 2006-11, 1,620.593 km of additional LT lines at a cost of Rs 39.55 crore had been added to the system raising transmission and distribution (T&D) losses further from 45 per cent in 2005-06 to 62.12 per cent in 2010-11, it said.
 "Development Commissioner Power (DCP) informed in June 2011 that HVDS implementation had now been included in the proposal under Re-Accelerated Power Development Reforms Programme (RE-APDRP)," it said.
 As per the guidelines provided for conversion of existing network into HVDS, this was an effective method of reducing technical losses, theft in LT lines, it said.
 By adopting this process consumers could not resort to hooking which was common way of committing theft of power in the state, it said.
 In the Kashmir division, PDD had started pilot HVDS system at Nishat and Soura in Srinagar district in 2005-06, which had given encouraging results, the CAG report said.
 However, no follow up steps had been taken, it added.
 CAG also pulled up the government for huge shortfall ranging from 74 per cent to 95 per cent under replacement of overhead  High Tension (HT) lines by underground cables, erection of 11 KV  cable, replacement of overhead LT lines by underground cables, reactive  compensation, modernisation and computerisation.
 Besides it also pulled up the state government for consumer metering  indicating that the components which were vital for reducing T&D  losses and enhancing financial health of the department were not  prioritised which resulted into not fulfilling of envisaged goals.
 Despite spending Rs 491.84 crore on six projects during 2006-11  with progressive expenditure of Rs 812.90 crore ending March, 2011,  the envisaged benefits could not accrue.
 It warned that the state government was liable to lose not only  the benefit of 90 per cent capital subsidy from the Centre but also  repaying the loan alongwith interest.

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