PCL chairman hauls up discoms

THE UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) has asked distribution companies to submit to it a police station-wise list of the most power theft-prone areas by November 29. It has also secured a written undertaking from the worst performing executive engineers to give every month the revenue collection as specified for them.

THE UP Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) has asked distribution companies to submit to it a police station-wise list of the most power theft-prone areas by November 29. It has also secured a written undertaking from the worst performing executive engineers to give every month the revenue collection as specified for them.

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These and many other directions were issued at a day-long meeting called by UPPCL Chairman, AK Khurana and MD, Avnish Awasthi at Shakti Bhawan, to review the progress of all the distribution companies, here today.

Khurana asked the MDs to prepare police station-wise lists of areas where power theft including theft of transformer oil and electricity wires was most rampant in the identified districts. They have been asked to submit the list latest by November 29. He told them to send letters signed by him to SPs of the concerning districts, telling them about the theft-prone areas and seeking their cooperation in the crack down on the pilferers. According to sources, the government has identified around one and a half dozen most power-theft prone areas. Among those identified the prominent ones falling under Lucknow discom are Sitapur, Lakhimpur, Shahjahanpur and Bareilly.

In another significant move, the management today took a written undertaking from the poorly performing executive engineers on revenue realization front, to transfer a fixed amount to the UPPCL account every month. The amount for them was fixed on the basis of number of consumers and assessment of revenue in their divisions. The management had called  5-6 worst performing executive engineers from each discom. From LESA were executive engineers heading the Chowk and CESS divisions.

The management asked the discom MDs to make all efforts in achieving the revenue targets. The progress of rural electrification under Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) was also reviewed in detail and the contractors and officers were pulled up for slow work in some districts.