Jamshedpur, July 21 : Concerned over rampant power thefts, tampering of meters and long pending dues by consumers, Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Ltd (JBVNL) has launched a drive against defaulters.
Recently officials unearthed power theft at a mini-steel plant unit in Adityapur industrial area. Shree Krishna Laxmi Udyog Pvt Ltd, which is based on induction furnace and located in phase VI in the industrial area, were stealing power by hooking during the night.
The anti-power theft units of JBVNL, Jamshedpur circle conducted raids against the domestic consumers across Kolhan region. Separate teams conducted surprise raid at the residential premises of JBVNL consumers and ensuring whether the consumers are drawing the power properly and the meters are intact.
According to information, so far over 80 consumers have been arrested for either drawing electricity from the poles bypassing the meters or tapping the power from the hooking.
An official said the raids and surprise inspection being conducted by the department is a regular affair and it is meant to stop power theft in the low tension (LT) power consumers.
“On the directive of the JBVNL headquarters in Ranchi the raids are being conducted. Separate teams at work for conducting the raids for preventing the power thefts by the domestic consumers,” said the official.
Officials said that due to large scale power theft and tampering of meter bills it is essential to take strict actions otherwise the present scenario would only get worst.
“We are playing the role of facilitator similar to trading commodities to the public and when the latter fails to reciprocate in the true sense and instead resorts to pilferage possibility of sustaining regular power supply to the consumers is very remote,” conceded an officer.
Similarly in another drive at Sundernagar and Shastrinagar and Uliyaan in Kadma was carried on Tuesday. All together seven domestic consumers were ripped with power supply in these areas. These defaulters have been asked to deposit the bills in next four days to restore their connections.
Iterating that to check such rampant malpractices the department will carry such operations he also appealed to the public consumers to extend cooperation to the department’s endeavours.
While pointing out that power bill defaulter had been resorting to illegal re-connection even after their lines were snapped, an assistant engineer conceded that surprise drive at night would soon be undertaken to detect such unauthorised connections.