Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has issued chargesheets against 38 of its officers for committing irregularities in the implementation of Meter Pillar Box Scheme. These include two Chief Engineers, four Superintending Engineers, seven Executive Engineers, six SDOs, two Financial Advisers, one Senior Account Officer, one Accounts Officer, seven Junior Engineers, seven Divisional Accountants and one Section Officer.

Managing Director, DHBVN, Arun Kumar Verma, said that the Nigam had introduced the Meter Pillar Box Scheme in April, 2013. Under this scheme, the meters were to be installed in meter pillar boxes placed outside the premises of consumers in order to check power theft and maintain load balance on distribution transformers.

For this, the Nigam management had initially enlisted 15 firms, which were later increased to 21. The Nigam had also approved the maximum unit rate of all heads under this scheme.

He said that on the basis of irregularities found during investigation of this matter in Faridabad Circle, it appears that similar irregularities could also be found in other circles. On this basis, a 10-member investigation committee headed by Chief Engineer, DHBVN, Dalip Singh and Superintending Engineer, R K Sodha, was constituted in 2014 on the recommendation of Director (Vigilance), Haryana Power Utilities, and approval of Principal Secretary, Power.

Verma said that keeping in view the negligence towards their duty on the part of these 38 officers, giving undue advantage to contractors and causing loss to the Nigam, chargesheets have been issued against them.

He added that recommendations were sought from the Board of Directors and legal team before issuing the chargesheets and the State Vigilance Bureau is also investigating this matter independently.