PDD fails to check power pilferage

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 29

Despite directive from the State Electricity Regularity Commission (SERC), the Power Development Department (PDD) has failed to constitute a task force in each circle to carry out raids on a regular basis to check pilferage of electricity.

This has been noted in the SERC report which says that, “The progress of the petitioner (PDD) regarding theft detection and penalising the defaulters has been very slow and it has also not made available the progress report in the public domain.”

Illegal power connections continue to be a major headache for the department. During 2012-13, 26,077 unregistered connections were identified by the field staff in Jammu and other towns of the region.

“Though after imposing fine on the defaulters the connections were regularised, but it clearly shows the extent of power theft going on in the state, particularly in capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar,” said a PDD official.

A recent survey had also revealed that in some areas inhabited by businessmen and politicians, the transmission and distribution (T&D) losses have increased to 80 per cent, with most of them not paying regular tariffs amounting to lakhs of rupees.

“The officers in charge of the circles concerned have to be made answerable in case of detection of theft/pilferage of electricity in their areas of operation, besides booking those consumers committing theft/pilferage and taking penal action against them,” said a PDD official.

Under the J&K State Electricity Regularity Act, there is a provision of legal action against those who misuse the electricity and indulge in illegal acts, but the state has failed to create separate police stations or depute personnel for strengthening the enforcement wing.