Watch: Power crisis in Kashmir is due to Govt’s failure, says Altaf Bukhari

Srinagar, Nov 22: In the wake of the escalating power shortages plunging into darkness, Chairman Apni Party Altaf Bukhari demanded a thorough investigation into the reasons behind the non-signing of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

In an exclusive interview with Greater Kashmir, Bukhari called for accountability, seeking answers from the officers responsible for stalling power purchases and exacerbating the plight of residents.

Bukhari criticised the current administration for its lack of preparedness and urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to personally intervene to address the worsening situation.

“It is regrettable that the current administration failed to do their homework. They should have anticipated the worsening power situation with the increased demand during winter and reduced generation due to low water flow in rivers. The LG should personally address the situation, delving into whether the department raised the demand for winter power requirements and why their request for electricity purchase from outside J&K was not honoured. The government must hold individuals accountable. If we had an elected government, those responsible for this situation would face immediate action,” he said.

Bukhari questioned why the people of J&K were made to suffer and suggested that, if funds were lacking, the representatives should appeal to the Centre for additional assistance, citing last year's grant of Rs 9000 crore.

“They are their (Delhi's) representatives. They should go there (to Delhi) and seek additional funds to address the power crisis,” he said.

Highlighting the repercussions of not entering into power purchase agreements, Bukhari argued that the officers in charge were now procuring electricity at a higher cost than they could have with signed agreements.

He drew attention to the mismanagement during the summer in Jammu and the current prolonged power cuts in Kashmir.

As the former finance minister of J&K, Bukhari revealed that the annual spending on power purchases was Rs 8500 crore with only Rs 3600 crore realised in revenue, resulting in an estimated Rs 5000 crore shortfall.

He clarified that blaming consumers for the entire loss was unjust, pointing to the high transmission and distribution losses of 50 percent.

Bukhari said, additionally, the Centre allows a 20 percent transmission loss, amounting to Rs 1000 crore, leaving a net loss of roughly Rs 2500 crore, partly due to pilferage.

“The failure to secure the required 2500 MW, with only 500 MW of PPAs cleared, resulting in a shortage, is a stark reflection of the administration’s shortcomings. This shortfall, not just an administrative lapse but a collective punishment, showcases the insensitivity of the government,” he said. “People not protesting on roads doesn't mean they aren’t suffering. They suffer in silence, and the problem persists. Consumers in J&K, burdened with an average of Rs 3.40 per unit, face the brunt, while high-consumption users evade scrutiny. It’s time to shift focus, conduct inspections in high-consumption areas, and address the real pilferage, especially in industries like steel factories using 3 to 5 MW of electricity.”

About the curtailment schedule, he said that it became evident that many villages were grappling with power cuts exceeding 16 hours while downtown areas faced the brunt of the worst outages.

Acknowledging the power projects initiated by the Centre, he said that the pace of work on these power projects had been slow.

“The emphasis should shift towards state-driven projects. Take, for instance, the Rattle project. Instead of solely relying on external funding, they should have borrowed to establish powerhouses. The past five years have seen stagnation with power projects predominantly operating as joint ventures, yielding a mere 12 percent electricity. Power projects must be initiated at the state level, with strategic borrowing from the market to swiftly address the pressing power concerns in J&K.”