Only 7 per cent energy meters installed in J

Srinagar, May 18 (UNI) The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has rapped the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (PDD) for installing just seven per cent of the target 9,87,873 consumer meters across the state in three years.

In a report, the CAG said it was mandatory for the PDD to install tamper proof, static, high precision energy meters for all customers except those involved in agricultural activities within seven months of signing of a memorandum of agreement with the Centre.

Urban and semi-urban areas were to be covered within three months while installation of digital meters for industrial and commercial consumers was to be completed within three months, the report added.

Audit scrutiny revealed a target of metering 9,70,386 domestic and 17,487 industrial and commercial consumer installations (a total of 9,87,873) had been set under the programme. However, only 59,452 domestic (six per cent) and 4803 industrial and commercial (27 per cent) installations (a total of 64,255 -- seven per cent) were metered during three years (2003-06), the report said.

The main reason was attributed to non-availability of meters.

The reply was not tenable as the orders for procurement of only 2,75,500 meters (28 per cent of the requirement) had been placed.

In 2001-02, the order was placed for 50,000 meters and 2,25,5000 in 2005-06 against which only 61,500 were received by the end of March 2006. Out of these 50,000 procured through PMM wing and 11,500 purchased locally, the report added.

Moreover, the consumers themselves arranged 2755 meters. Due to the department's failure to take timely action for procurement of adequate number of meters, the target of metering all the consumer installations in a time bound manner was not met even three years after implementation of the programme in the state.

As a result, the objective of reduction in transmission and distribution losses and proper energy accounting could not be achieved, the CAG report said.

It said the contract of design, manufacture, testing and supply of 50,000 high precision single-phase static energy meters along with weather proof boxes was awarded to a firm at the rate of Rs 1,195 per meter in October 2001. The contract was to be completed within six months.

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