16,500 houses in Uchana Kalan draw power illegally

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jind, January 9

Nearly 16, 500 houses in the Uchana Kalan division have been drawing power through “kundi” connections for several years.

Sources said consumers drawing power illegally lost their connections many years ago after they refused to pay their bills. “The Haryana Government has been increasing the power tariff every year without giving adequate subsidy to poor farmers, who are ready to pay only the genuine amount and not the uncalled-for increase in rates,” said Ranvir Singh, a farmer from Chhatar village.

There are nearly 35,000 houses in 33 villages in the division. Of them, nearly 16,500 households are drawing power illegally with the alleged connivance of officials. Of the remaining 18,500 households, nearly 10,800 are paying bills irregularly. These households pay bills after getting warnings from the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN).

Of Rs 161-crore outstanding dues, Rs 102 crore is pending towards “illegal” consumers and the remaining Rs 59 crores is pending towards consumers who have been paying their bills irregularly.

“It is an open secret that thousands of consumers have been drawing power illegally, but the UHBVN never dare to take action against them. Urban consumers, like me, end up paying more every year to compensate for the loss of the Power Department due to non-payment by other consumers,” said Roshan Lal, a shopkeeper in Uchana.

Jind Superintendent Engineer SK Bhardwaj and Executive Engineer Amit Kamboj could not be contacted in spite of repeated attempts.

“I took charge at Uchana Kalan a few days ago. The DHBVN will disconnect the connections of 16,500 households drawing power illegally and take action against those who are paying their bills irregularly. A special campaign has been started to recover the dues,” said Dharmvir Singh, Sub-divisional Officer (SDO), DHBVN.