On duty PDD staff caught using banned crude gadgets in receiving station

Baramulla, Dec 11: During inspection the on duty Power Development Department (PDD) staff at a receiving station in Baramulla district was caught using banned crude gadgets.

The department has banned for consumers the usage of crude gadgets..

The late night inspection of the Receiving Station in the Watergam area of Baramulla district was conducted by the Additional Deputy Commissioner Sopore, Shabir Ahmad Raina.

The inspection was conducted to check whether the electricity schedule was being followed by the PDD in the metered and non-metered areas. However, as the ADC Sopore reached the receiving station Watergam, the employees on duty were caught using a heater which has been banned by the department recently and warned the consumers of strict action for using such gadgets.

The revelation has raised questions on the PDD and the efficacy of its policies.

This was not the first time that the PDD staff was found using crude gadgets for heating purposes but such revelation came to fore a few weeks ago from the central Kashmir area as well.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, ADC Sopore acknowledged that the PDD staff was caught using crude gadgets which the same department has banned for consumers.

"It was surprising for me as well. I called the staff to my office and warned them of action for using such gadgets. I have directed them to replace these gadgets with other devices which do not consume much electricity," ADC Sopore told Greater Kashmir. He said the staff assured that the crude gadgets will not be used in future.

As already reported by this newspaper, the government earlier directed officials of the Power Development Department (PDD) to constitute checking squads and curb the use of crude and banned gadgets by consumers.

The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir had instructed that a comprehensive campaign be initiated against the use of crude and banned gadgets by consumers.

Following this, the district administration in Baramulla wrote to the Superintendent Engineer (SE) Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) in Baramulla, urging them to form teams and checking squads as well.

These teams were tasked with investigating and addressing the menace of crude and banned gadget usage by consumers and appropriate action "under relevant rules and laws" should be taken against violators.

In the past few days, the PDD carried several drives and seized the crude gadgets from the houses of consumers. The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) also shared the action taken during the drives on their social media handles as well.

However, the revelation wherein PDD staff was found using banned gadgets has led to criticism by the citizens.

"When such gadgets are found in consumers' houses PDD department claims to legally punish the consumers but now what action the department will take against the officers who allow using banned gadgets by employees on duty at receiving stations," said Muneeb Ahmad, a local from Sopore.

Superintendent Engineer Operation and Maintenance (O&M) KPDCL north circle, Habib Choudhary said he will look into the matter."I will get the factual report from the concerned executive engineer about the issue and action will be taken accordingly," Choudhary told Greater Kashmir.