Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday addressed concerns about smart meter bills, stating that “his administration will explore alternatives to assist those who are financially struggling to pay the bills.” However, he also remarked that people living in luxurious homes with iPhones and 5G data should refrain from complaining about smart meters.
While addressing a gathering at Mini-Secretariat in South Kashmir’s Kulgam distrcit, LG said: “Let me announce today that the government will take care of the poor who can’t afford to pay bills. But those who have palatial houses, I-Phones with 5-G internet data and other gadgets will have to pay power bills as per their usage. They shouldn’t at least make excuses in paying the power bills.”
Additionally, the LG emphasized the importance of fully-metered feeders, stating that areas with 100% metering will experience minimal power disruptions, with interruptions unlikely to last even for a minute.
In the last 70 years, 3400 MW power was generated in J&K and in the next three years equal MWs (Megawatts) will be produced, LG made comments over the capacity of power generation through hydropower projects in J&K.
As per official data, Jammu and Kashmir has been able to produce 3500 megawatts of electricity under 19 hydropower projects during the past 70 years.
Of the current 3,263 MW hydropower generation capacity, the NHPC generates 2,009 MW from these projects but shares only 13% of that with Kashmir, which has to purchase electricity at higher prices from India's northern grid to meet its requirement,
as per a report.
After India scrapped region’s autonomous status on 5 August, 2019 (abrogation of Article 370), the government signed 8 more projects with NHPC for the speedy construction of hydroelectricity projects in the Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir. They will have a total installed capacity of 6,352 MW at a projected cost of INR 567 billion (USD 9 billion).
The government of India is aiming to double power generation capacity in three years and triple in next 7 years. It estimated that hydro power potential of the region is 20000 MW, of which about 16475 MW have been identified by the government.
Jammu and Kashmir’s potential to produce 16475 MW of hydro power was assessed by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), comprising 11283 MW in Chenab basin, 3084 MW in Jhelum basin, 500 MW in Ravi Basin and 1608 MW in Indus basin.
The divided Himalayan region between India, Pakistan and China is bound by the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), an agreement between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank, to manage the flow of the transboundary Indus River and its tributaries.
The treaty grants India unrestricted control over the Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers, while Pakistan has control over the Jhelum, Chenab, and Indus rivers flowing through Jammu and Kashmir. India can also use 20% of the water from the three western rivers for irrigation, transport, and power generation. a provision it exercises in Jammu and Kashmir.