PSPCL’s border zone leads in theft detection

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 18

The Enforcement Directorate wing of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has set a record of sorts in detecting power theft cases in the border zone comprising Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts. Interestingly, most of the defaulters comprise hotels, guest houses and high-income residents.

The directorate has assessed an amount of Rs 13.51 crore against power theft in the current financial year for the period ending December. During 2014, a record 269 complaints of theft were disposed of, a record since the PSPCL’s inception. The amount to be recovered from the consumers has increased by about Rs 3.81 crore as compared to corresponding period the previous year.

“A majority of the cases involve reputed persons,” said Deputy Chief Engineer Charanjit Singh Aulakh.

The department raided various guest houses in the region during the past week, and found meters that were tampered with. A penalty of Rs 28 lakh has been slapped on the defaulters.

Sources said the illegal activity was going on in a planned manner. Even some PSPCL employees were found helping those indulging in the theft, they said. Sources said some politically well-connected residents of the border belt had been regularly indulging in power thefts, and that complaints had reached the PSPCL head office.

“The corporation revenue on this account has increased by 15.96 per cent whereas power theft has dropped from 26.12 per cent to 10.16 per cent,” said Aulakh.

The maximum annual checks conducted so far by the PSPCL stood at 43,000, a count that reached 46,500 for the period ending December. “This is 28 per cent higher compared to figures of the corresponding period last year. A new record will be set as three more months are still left in the current financial year,” said officials.

KD Chaudhri, PSPCL Chief Managing Director, said the enforcement wing had been given a free hand to deal strictly in theft cases. “We will not spare anyone. The officers have been told to go after defaulters,” he said.