Hundreds of damaged power transformers unrepaired; Contractors not to take fresh orders

Srinagar, Jan 03: Hundreds of power distribution transformers are lying defunct in Kashmir as transformer repairing units have stopped taking fresh orders from the Power Development Department against non-releasing of their pending liabilities.
The non-repairing of damaged transformers could further worsen the power scenario at a time when Kashmir faces abrupt power cuts.
An official of the Power Development Department said that there are 26,000 distribution transformers in Jammu and Kashmir.
Over 10 percent receive major damages annually due to “load shedding and short circuit”, which is highest in the country, officials said.
“The transformer repairing industrial units have stopped repairing damaged distribution transformers for not releasing their liabilities,” the official said. “If these units do not start repairing transformers then there will be a massive power crisis in the Valley,” the official said.
Now, the PDD has been sending damaged transformers from all districts of Kashmir to its central workshop at Pampore.
“Repairing a damaged transformer at state owned central workshop Pampore takes at least a month. The people have to suffer. The stock of damaged ones keeps piling up, as the workshop receives hundreds per month but is unable to cater to such a huge number.”
The PDD has hired few workers for repairing of damaged transformers at the local level.
“That hardly makes any difference,” the official added.
President Kashmir Transformers Manufacturers and Repairs Association, Jalal-Ud-Din Wani, said that they won’t repair any transformers till their liabilities were not cleared.
“We don’t want to make people suffer, but the government forced us to stop repairing damaged transformers,” Wani told The Kashmir Monitor.
He said that government has failed to clear liabilities of around Rs 27 crore to transformer repairing units for the last three years.
“In Kashmir, there is liability of Rs 19 crore and in Jammu Rs 5 crore. Further there is liability of Rs 2.5 crore of the current fiscal,” he said.
Presently, Wani said, 300 damaged transformers were lying in private repairing units in Kashmir.
“These will not be repaired till we receive our payments,” he said.
The matter also came up for discussion when Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti chaired a meeting here on November 6 to review the power scenario in Kashmir.
Wani claimed that government did not release the pending liabilities on the “pretext” of holding audit.
“We are registered units and started repairing transformers after entered into an agreement with the government,” Wani said.
There exists over 35 electric transformers manufacturing and repair units in the state.
Chief Engineer PDD, Kashmir, Shehnaz Goni, said that government was already aware of the issue.
“The audits have been completed and their liabilities will be cleared very soon,” she said. “We want to make it sure that people do not suffer as lot of transformers get damaged during winters in the valley.”