STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Federation of Industries Jammu (FOIJ) expressed concern over the unwarranted power tariff hike from 10 to 13 per cent by Jammu and Kashmir State Regulatory Commission (JKSERC) for industrial sector.
Chairman FOIJ, Lalit Mahajan raised serious concern in respect of hike in power tariff for industrial sector by J and K SERC in spite of the fact that the Power Development Department has failed to control the transmission losses resulting huge financial losses to the Government. PDD Department has also failed to implement the directives for the 100 per cent metering as non-metering is the major factor of power theft and transmission losses.
The industrial sector is penalised by the JKSERC by increasing the power tariff in spite of fact that industry consumes 30 per cent power and contributes 70 per cent of total revenue generation of PDD, industry is 100 per cent metered and generates 100 per cent revenue and the T&D losses are much less than the national average.
The PDD Department has failed to reduce the T&D Losses in last five years which is increasing day by day. Further, no action has been taken by the Power Development Department to regularise the unmetered power supply to different consumers of the State resulting heavy losses to State Exchequer and the department has passed the burden to the genuine consumers.
It is pertinent to mentioned here that the PDD Department has failed to implement the SERC directions which includes the simple interest on the delayed payment of power dues, 24 hours power supply and other related matters. The PDD department also failed to provide funds for the maintenance of Grid/Receiving Station resulting in prolonged power cuts/tripping for which no one is accountable.
The federation members appealed to the Chief Minister, Dy. Chief Minister who is also the Power Minister and Industries Minister to intervene into the matter and issue necessary orders to roll back of recent power tariff hike for industrial sector.
The meeting was also attended by Rajesh Jain, Vijay Aggarwal, Ajit Bawa, Romesh Badyal, Jainder Aul, Rajinder Gupta (Co-Chairmen FOIJ), S.B Abrol Secretary General, Ajay Langer Convener FOIJ and other office bearers of all the constituents of Federation of Industries, Jammu.
