PUNJAB CM ORDERS ELECTRICITY DEPT TO CRACK DOWN ON POWER THEFT

PUNJAB CM ORDERS ELECTRICITY DEPT TO CRACK DOWN ON POWER THEFT

Nabaz-e-Punjab Bureau, Chandigarh, July 18:
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday ordered the state electricity department to crack down on power theft, especially in border areas such as Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Faridkot, Ferozepur etc.
The problem was rampant in the border areas and it was necessary to check its proliferation, he told a meeting to discuss the new draft industrial policy.
The Chief Minister directed the concerned departments to involve civil authorities in the enforcement of the law across the state, an official spokesperson disclosed after the meeting.
Pointing out that line losses in some parts of Tarn Taran were a whopping over 41%, with Sangrur, Amritsar and Malout also badly affected, the Chief Minister said such losses continued to be high in areas where local protests and political patronage had prevented the department from installation of meters outside the premises of the consumers. In contrast, areas where the department had been successful in installing the meters the losses had come down drastically, he pointed out.
Data provided by the department shows that after Tarn Taran (Bhikiwind), with 41.54% line losses, Muktsar (Malout) was the worst hit at 41.38%, followed by Tarn Taran (Patti) at 38.18% during FY17. Muktsar Badal reported 38.08%, Sub Urban Amritsar 37.92% and Sub Urban Amritsar West 32.04%. Other high-loss areas included Faridkot, Sangrur, Gurdaspur and Ferozepur.
All border areas were showing huge line losses, according to the spokesperson, who said the Chief Minister had made it clear to the department that no laxity in this regard would be tolerated.