Editorial: Powerless thinking

Srinagar: Like the politicians the babus working or heading various departments in the state have mastered the art of lying. Take the case of Chief Engineer Power Development Department (PDD) who claimed to get the power scenario eased up the moment there is a downpour in the state.

The top boss in the PDD made this announcement in the Month of January and promised a certain relief to lessen the electricity woes of the people here. But it seems that taking advantage from the fact that no accountability among the government circles is in vague the Chief Engineer tried to hoodwink the common masses and also escaped any responsibility as well.

All this is happening because the state has no well defined policy on electricity and the common consumers fall last on the line of the beneficiaries.  

The failure of the PDD department has been in question for almost two decades now. And this failure does not restrict to the department only but the entire government machinery is to be blamed for this failure. The top bosses, like the ministers should have been made answerable for the mess in the department, but since this is Kashmir so nobody cares!

The PDD being closely related to consumer syndrome, it will be continuously under the scanner and media to certain extent also tries to highlight its reflections on its performance and shortcomings.

The onus of a collective failure of the PDD lies on the government too. On April 28, 2010, the state government notified the Jammu and Kashmir Electricity Act following its enactment by the Legislature and approval by the Governor.

Naturally, the follow up action should have taken place and the broad outlines of Electricity Policy of the Government should have been framed. But since the babus are not bothered to work and get things in place, no attention was given to framing the draft policy. Worse enough, the government and the minister given the charge of this crucial portfolio did not bother to get the babus going and get a policy framed.

At long last under pressures and persuasions the PDD framed the draft policy and submitted it to the Government for further action. Strangely, the draft remained confined to files only and as of now no action has been initiated. Strangely, it has been almost two decades now that the draft policy was initiated but as of now it seems the policy will take more time to evolve.

One fails to understand why the delay. Though, the mere framing of the policy will not be the end of the process. The process has to be taken forward and the final authority will lie with the cabinet to set the ball rolling. As of now the state’s power minister who also happens to be the Deputy Chief Minister needs to devote some time to this crucial issue.

 

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.