MSEDC faces T

Mumbai, Apr 17 (UNI) The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDC) has continued to suffer transmission and distribution losses at 32.58 per cent as on March 31 last year, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

The CAG report, which was tabled in both the Houses of the Legislature, said the transmission and distribution losses had continued despite a commitment in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of India (GoI) to bring it down to 18 per cent by March 2003.

''Performance of the company with respect to prevention/detection of distribution losses was found to be deficient as preventive measures like periodical inspection and testing of consumers installation, recalibration of meters, checking of the premises of permanently disconnected consumers and pending cases, and repairs, were not effectively implemented,'' the report observed.

The report also said there was no systematic follow up of complaints for theft of electricity and no recovery of penalty charges and compounding charges, though levied.

Defective procedures adopted during investigations resulted in the company losing court cases. In cases decided in favour of the company, there was lack of follow-up action, the report noted.

Rules for computation of penalty framed by the company regarding theft of electricity did not have adequate deterrent effect and were also not in the financial interest of the company, the report added.

UNI