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Ludhiana: PSPCL slapped ₹24cr penalties last year
According to officials, between April and December last year, PSPCL teams had inspected 74,353 electricity connections across the central zone
In a rampant crackdown on electricity irregularities, the enforcement wing of PSPCL central zone registered 5,021 cases of power offences last year, which caused significant revenue losses to the power utility. Additionally, officials through 45 raids, have imposed fines worth ₹24.45 crore on defaulters across Ludhiana district.
According to officials, between April and December last year, PSPCL teams had inspected 74,353 electricity connections across the central zone. These inspections uncovered 784 cases of power theft, mostly through kundi connections, along with 111 instances of unauthorised electricity use. Additionally, 4,126 cases of metre tampering and other irregularities were recorded.
Notably, the enforcement wing in response to these violations levied the highest fines on metre tampering cases, amounting to ₹13.79 crore, followed by ₹6.24 crore for power theft and ₹4.41 crore for unauthorised use of electricity. Officials noted that these penalties were crucial in curbing violations and recovering lost revenue.
Even in December 2024, when power consumption witnessed seasonal drop, violations remained evidently rampant, with the enforcement wing detecting 630 cases of irregularities. Despite the decrease in demand, officials recorded 70 cases of power thefts after inspecting staggering 9,727 connections, and leading to fines totaling ₹2.63 crore.
Confirming the development, PSPCL deputy chief engineer Baljinder Singh Sidhu said,” We have eight teams conducting regular raids in the central zone, supported by a mobile metre testing squad that inspects faulty connections.”
Expanding on the enforcement process, he added that recovery notices are issued the day after a raid to those found guilty. Additionally, FIRs are registered under Section 135 of the Electricity Act, 2003, ensuring strict action against violators and enforcing fine payments.
In addition to these measures, a senior PSPCL official highlighted that instructions have already been issued to divisions and subdivisions to register criminal cases against defaulters who refuse to pay the imposed penalties.
