Patiala: Following directives of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), CMD Baldev Singh Sran, and Director/Distribution DIPS Grewal, joint inspections are being conducted by teams from the Operation Wing and Enforcement Wing to curb electricity theft as part of a campaign in the South Zone of the state powercom.
Chief Engineer/Distribution, South Patiala, Rattan Kumar Mittal shared on Tuesday that 1,50,874 connections have been inspected under this campaign, identifying 8,750 cases of power theft, unauthorised extension, or usage of electricity. Culprits have been charged approximately Rs.28 crore, and FIRs are being registered against offenders under the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003.
The campaign has seen inspections of 43,283 connections in Patiala, 33,986 in Sangrur, 15,262 in Barnala, 46,494 in Rupnagar, and 11,849 in Mohali. Cases of power theft and unauthorised usage were detected as follows: 2,438 in Patiala, 2,777 in Sangrur, 1,416 in Barnala, 1,326 in Rupnagar, and 793 in Mohali. Defaulters have been charged Rs.645.67 lakh in Patiala, Rs.614.32 lakh in Sangrur, Rs.394.80 lakh in Barnala, Rs.284.91 lakh in Rupnagar, and Rs.897.10 lakh in Mohali.
Operations and mass raids will continue on a war footing, ensuring that dues are recovered from defaulters while legal actions, including FIRs, are pursued to prevent revenue loss, warned Mittal.
Consumers have been urged to report incidents of electricity theft in their vicinity by calling 96461-75770 or using WhatsApp, with assurances of confidentiality for informants.
Meanwhile, action has been initiated to disconnect power connections of defaulting consumers in the South Zone, and all consumers with outstanding bills are advised to clear their dues immediately to avoid inconvenience.
To facilitate defaulting consumers, the department has introduced a consumer-friendly One-Time Settlement (OTS) Scheme for clearing outstanding dues as of September 30, 2023. This scheme includes waivers on surcharges and 50% interest relief on the principal amount of bills.
