Srinagar: The Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP) which was started in 2008 as a revised version of the Accelerated Power Development Reforms Programme (APDRP) is almost a failure in Srinagar and its outskirts due to official apathy as material worth 200 crores rots under open sky in Srinagar outskirts.
Details available with Early Times reveal that APDRP scheme was initiated in 2003 as additional assistance to States for reducing the Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses in the power sector. The phase-II of this scheme was to be implemented by May 2017 in Srinagar, Jammu and few more towns and cities across state . As far as Srinagar and its outskirts are concerned not even 5% of the work has been completed till date.
The project had been awarded to M/s. EMC Limited, Kolkata but due to some technical issues between the company and the Power Development Department ordinary people are made to suffer. The 4 months unrest further aggravated this problem.
A special investigation team of Early Times found Material worth around 200 Crores lying under open sky at the warehouse of M/s. EMC ltd. located at Kralpora Chadoora District, Rangreth Srinagar & Pampore . This material consists of more than 5000 transformers, 65000 Electric and 15000 kms of Electric Wire plus 3000 electric meters , conductors , and other material.
“There has been unrest in Kashmir valley for three months but rest of the nine months were quite normal and not even one transformer was installed at anyplace in Srinagar due to official apathy . From last two months the situation has normalized in Kashmir Valley but authorities are yet to initiate the work on this project” said Dr Mushtaq Khan senior RTI Activist who have exposed this official irregularity.
“The bureaucratic interference adds to the sufferings of common people who are facing lots of power crisis during these cold winter days. As we are aware that it is the peak winter season in Kashmir and the snowfall can take place anytime and that will cause severe damage to this material which is a direct loss to the state exchequer” Dr Mushtaq added
The Aggregate Technical and Commercial Loss captures the total loss in the distribution network. Technical loss may be due to ill maintained equipment, substations and inadequate investment in infrastructure while commercial loss may be due to low metering efficiency, faulty meter reading, theft and pilferages.
This scheme is meant to improve the quality and reliability of power supply. This was to be achieved by strengthening and upgrading the sub-transmission and distribution system of high density load centres like towns and industrial centres.
APDRP scheme was restructured as a central sector scheme and renamed as R-APDRP. The Power Finance Corporation (PFC) is the nodal agency to operationalize the scheme under the guidance of Ministry of Power. PFC will act as a single window service provider under the scheme and coordinate with the different stakeholders like Power Ministry , APDRP Steering Committee, Central Electricity Authority, Financial Institutions, State Electricity Boards/Utilities and Consultants.
R-APDRP is a scheme meant for urban areas- towns and cities with population of more than 30,000 (10,000 in case of special category states).The focus of R-APDRP is on actual, demonstrable performance in terms of sustained loss reduction. This is proposed to be achieved in two parts: Part A of the scheme envisages establishment of base line data which includes consumer indexing, GIS mapping and metering of distribution transformers and feeders and SCADA/DMS (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System/Data Management System) in project areas having a population of 4 lakh and annual input energy of 350 MU. This part of the scheme also includes IT applications for energy accounting/auditing and IT based consumer service. Part B of the scheme is for renovation, modernization and strengthening of distribution systems.
” Power Department is not cooperating with the company and due to which they want to quit from the work as officials are allegedly harassing them. Power Department says that company is not adhering to contract norms. In nutshell public money is at stake.
On one hand people are coming on roads for restoration of power supply , they are demanding transformers and on the other hand 5000 transformers are lying under open sky from last one year” says Mohammad Ayaz a local of Kralpora.