DVB performance suspect

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 2. Expressing dissatisfaction over the performance of the DVB during 2000-2001, the Finance Department is understood to have accused the electricity board of fudging figures and not giving correct and full information about its achievements and failure during the year. Despite several reminders, the Department is still to get all details, including the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 2001-2002.

Insiders in the Department said top bosses at the DVB have been juggling figures to cover up their shortcomings. For example, it was pointed out that during its presentation before the Planning Commission, the DVB is understood to have stated that its Transmission and Distribution losses were around 52 per cent. But when they gave their performance details to the State Government, the losses were put around 46.82 per cent.

During a recent meeting with the Finance Minister, Mr. Mahinder Singh Saathi, to review the performance of the DVB under the MoU, a dispute arose over the figures provided by the DVB. It is believed that Mr. Saathi pointed out that the T&D losses were more than 50 per cent after proper calculation and accused the DVB of giving wrong facts. He was also critical of the DVB Chairman, Mr. Jagdish Sagar, for not providing correct facts and proper information and asked him to submit the same within a week. But it has been more than two months and DVB is still to come up with a satisfactory reply.

Similarly, while Mr. Sagar, at a recent press conference had maintained that the DVB had sent its draft MoU for 2001-2002 for approval by the Finance Ministry, the Department has maintained that it has not got the MoU, despite repeated reminders. Mr. Saathi is also understood to have expressed annoyance that the DVB had not been able to achieve the targets it had set out for itself the previous year.

``The Finance Minister was quite agitated over the piece-meal approach of the DVB to upgradation of the distribution system. Despite repeated assertions that efforts should be directed towards strengthening this system, nothing much has been done. Even if more than 3,000 MW power is made available to Delhi, the system would continue to suffer as it is not equipped to withstand such a big load and distribute it. The entire system is in a shambles and needs urgent attention,'' a senior official remarked.

It is also being pointed out that the DVB could instal only 175 shunt capacitors against the target of 550 set for the year. The shunt capacitors are a major stablisation factor in maintaining the voltage and preventing collapse of the system. In case of laying of 220kv and 66kv lines, the achievement of DVB has been virtually zero and in case of 33kv line, it is poor. Similarly, in case of installation of 66kv, 33kv and 11kv transformer, the performance has left much to be desired.

``The problems DVB faced during the recent days was due to local faults and not due to low availability of supply. Had they paid enough attention to augmentation of the distribution system, things would have been much comfortable. The DVB should understand that first they have to put the distribution network in place before it goes for total privatisation. No private party would like to take control of such a pathetic situation,'' another official added.

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