The Uttarakhand Power Corporation limited (UPCl) would have turned profitable venture if they had curtailed line loss incidents in the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions of Uttarakhand. However, department officials told that the surprise raids would be increased in the near future to keep a tab on unauthorised electricity consumers.
Sources revealed that nearly 10-20 per cent of electricity available with the UPCl through generation and Central Pool is reported to be pilfered by the unauthorised electricity consumers. Officials cite that the acute shortage of vigilance staff is among the core reasons for increasing electricity theft in the State.
Even couple of measures taken by the department to curtail power theft incidents has not become much beneficial as those villagers who are living in the fringe parts of the districts tops the tally in terms of power theft. The maximum cases of electricity theft is being reported from Haridwar, Dehradun, Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts of the State with remote areas top the tally.
Officials reiterated that UPCl could be easily become profitable corporation, if power pilferage is controlled by the department in the days to come. It is equally important to mention here is that the Aggregate Technical and Commercial losses were reduced from the maximum level of 53 per cent in 2003-04 to 23 per cent in 2012-13 with an anticipated target for further reduction to 18 per cent by March 2014.
In a rough estimate prepared by the State Power Department clearly highlighted that the cost of electricity reported pilfered across the State is around Rs 10-20 crore per month and the department had borne the loss of around Rs 500 crore due to pilfered power in the different parts of the State since the State’s formation. After confirming that stern instructions have been regularly issued to the department for overcoming the power theft incidents in the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions of Uttarakhand, department officials who wished anonymity told The Pioneer that department will impose heavy penalty on unauthorised electricity consumers.
He said that officials are directed to cut-down outstanding bills for increasing revenue for the department. He said that vigilance staff undertakes the responsibility of conducting raids, identifying and impose penalty on unauthorized consumers and supervising distribution lines in the State. He told that officials from all 97 subdivisions are instructed to keep a tab on unauthorised electricity consumers.