E-Paper
Pilferage: KESCo forced to act strictly
WITH NEWLY APPOINTED Power Minister Shiv Pal Singh Yadav taking strong note of rampant power pilferage in the State, Kesco officials have been left with no option but to take stern action against pilferers. In a meeting held in Lucknow recently, Singh had issued instructions to managing directors of all the Discoms to launch raid and combing operation to check pilferage.
WITH NEWLY APPOINTED Power Minister Shiv Pal Singh Yadav taking strong note of rampant power pilferage in the State, Kesco officials have been left with no option but to take stern action against pilferers.
In a meeting held in Lucknow recently, Singh had issued instructions to managing directors of all the Discoms to launch raid and combing operation to check pilferage.
Minister’s directives have set alarm bells ringing for Kesco officials as the city accounts for more than 46 per cent technical and commercial (ATC) loss.
Though all the 15 divisions of Kesco are reporting ATC loss, officials’ efforts to curtail it have failed. This is despite the fact that a raid and combing operation is underway in the Kanpur City. An assistant general manager has been spearheading the drive. A separate cell has also been constituted to give it a boost.
Grim scenario can be ascertained by the fact that in 2004-05, ATC loss on an average was 46 per cent and in the current financial year it has been the same. The line-loss calculated separately stood at 37.76 per cent till August last.
A senior Kesco official pointed out that the combing operations have failed to get the desired result as there was no mechanism to re-check the illegal connections snapped during the drive.
“After the drive in a particular area is over, power pilferers once again resort to ‘katia’ connection,” he said.
Talking to HT, general manager, KESCo, MP Tripathi said, “Raid and combing operation are already in progress in the city and the drive has started yielding positive results.”
However, the new power minister seems to be in no mood to accept any excuses being offered by KESCo officials for the mounting ATC loss. It is high time to act before it is too late.
