E-Paper
Of ₹239 cr, only ₹13 cr fine realised from power defaulters in U.P.’s Prayagraj
Now, senior officials of the department have started taking a tough stand on the recovery of the pending penalties
Power department in the district may be quick in slapping fine on defaulters but is proving ineffective in realising the fine from them, department’s own records show. With officials being blamed for levying “improper penalties”, the same are getting challenged and even after years failing to get settled.
“Now, senior officials of the department have started taking a tough stand on the recovery of the pending penalties worth crores. From chief and superintending engineers to executive engineers and sub-divisional officers, instructions have been given to all to do the needful to recover the fine on priority,” said a senior state power department official.
Records show that from 2017 to June 2023, out of the total fine fixed by the power department worth ₹239.71 crore in total 19,272 cases of electricity theft, only ₹13.13 crore has been recovered so far. Even after repeated warnings and recovery notices (RCs) served to the people caught stealing power, the due amount has still not been deposited.
“Cooperation of the district administration is being taken for recovery of the amount of fine levied on the defaulters. For this, RCs are also being served on the people concerned” said Ram Awadh Yadav, public relations officer, Pashchimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited O(PVVNL), Prayagraj.
Recently, the managing director of PVVNL visited Prayagraj to review revenue collection and had pulled up the officials for arbitrarily levying fine and failing to get them settled. He pointed out that the officers seemed to be levying high penalties on people because of which people were not able to deposit the fine even if they wished to. He instructed officials to ensure that correct assessments in cases of power theft were made.
