Haryana takes steps to enforce anti-power theft act

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Gurgaon, Oct 9 (UNI) Haryana has designated district-level special courts and the state's power distribution utilities would set special Power Police Stations at Gurgaon, Hisar, Ambala and Rohtak to enforce the amended Electricity Act which makes power theft a cognizable and non-bailable offence.

This was stated by O. S. Lohachab, Chairman, Haryana Power Transmission and Distribution Corporations said at a Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam organised workshop on "Power Theft Detection and Control".

Electricity amounting to Rs 28,000 crore was being stolen annually in the country due to which the Centre this year amended the Act incorporating many stringent provisions to check the menace, Mr Lohachab said.

DHBVN is much concerned about theft in districts and directed the officials to launch massive campaign against this evil. He gave targets to the employees and directed that each Asstt. General Manager would detect at least three cases of theft in rural area and five cases in urban area of an operation sub-division.

The officials who detect maximum number of thefts would be honoured and given cash award, he added.

The Chairman said that a major part of revenue (amounting to average Rs 160 crore) of the DHBVN was being collected from the operation Circles of Gurgaon and Faridabad as these were the largest consumers of power.

He directed the officers to ensure all efforts were made to provide cent per cent regular power connections in rural areas and cent per cent intact seals on the existing meters.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Inspector General (Vigilance) Police, Haryana Power Utilities, Mr M S Mallik said that under amended act, the theft of electricity was a cognizable and non-bailable offence and the official who detected theft was bound to report the theft to the police and the respective police officer is bound to register the FIR immediately.

The DIG said that a person stealing power at 10 kilowatt load or above could be awarded imprisonment up to five years. In case of second such offence, he can be debarred from power for long time and can not take electricity from any source.

A consumer using power for the purpose other than the category of his connection would also face the case of theft of electricity. If there is variation in the pattern of power consumption, a taped cut in the service cable also can be treated as theft.

UNI

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