4,151 units without power: DHBVN

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, May 8

Contrary to the data composed under the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana ‘Saubhagya’ claiming 100 per cent household electrification in Hisar district, the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DBVN) has admitted that 4,151 units are still un-electrified (five to 10 ‘dhanis’ in one unit).

The household electrification status progress report, which was compiled in October 2017 after the launch of Saubhagya scheme, indicated that 96.56 per cent houses in state are electrified. The district-wise data uploaded on the Saubhagya.gov.in website revealed that except Mewat (61.78 per cent), Kaithal (83.23 per cent), Yamunanagar (92.51 per cent) and Ambala (99.58 per cent), all the other districts had achieved 100 per cent electrification.

The DHBVN officials claim that ‘dhanis’ were excluded from the household electrification survey as these were neither part of urban nor rural areas. “Dhanis are separate dwelling units located in remote and isolated places,” stated RK Jain, Chief Engineer, Planning Designing and Construction, DHBVN.

He stated the DHBVN was planning to install off grid solar panel system in 4,151 dhanis in the district. “The ‘dhanis’ cannot be connected to the conventional system for electrification. We have submitted the proposal with the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) and Renewable Energy Department, which are the funding agencies. We are yet to get a response from them,” he said.

However, sources claimed the the number of ‘dhanis’ without electricity was much higher as the power utility had identified clusters of ‘dhanis’ having five to 10 houses in each unit.

“There are thousands of ‘dhanis’ which function as a single household. These ‘dhanis’ are scattered in remote areas of the district. They are forced to live like nomads. Politicians contact us only before the elections. Though we participate in panchayat poll, but these have little role in providing basic facilities like water and electricity”, said Rohtash, who lives in a ‘dhani’ near Kinala village.

Officials admit the situation is grim in Mewat district where over 60,000 households (38.22 per cent) do not have power connection. “The DHBVN has taken up the issue of providing electricity in Mewat and ‘dhanis’ in Hisar with the REC. We will hold awareness camps in ‘dhanis’ urging them to opt for solar power,” he said.