Rs 1,200 Crore Power Stolen Every Year In Punjab , Villages Account For 66% Theft

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CHANDIGARH – Against the average 10 per cent loss in distribution network, the losses are over 20-50 per cent in urban areas and over 50-79 per cent in rural supply lines.

Amid acute shortage of power, Punjab is spending Rs 12 crore daily to buy 1,140 MW to meet the rising demand. However, power thefts continue unabated in villages.

Despite getting free power for paddy fields, the villages account for the theft worth over Rs 800 crore per annum. Domestic and commercial urban consumers steal power worth Rs 300 crore, while the industry Rs 100 crore per annum.

A day after MP Ravneet Bittu reminded Navjot Singh Sidhu that he could have done a lot regarding the power purchase agreements when he was offered the portfolio in 2019, the latter in a tweet said as the Minister of Power, nothing could be done. “All decision-making powers are with the PSERC that directly reports to the CM,” he said.

Information gathered by The Tribune reveals that residents are stealing power worth Rs 3 crore per day from the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) supply lines, with rural Punjab leading with 66.66 per cent distribution losses due to power theft using capacitors, illegal ‘kundis’ and even tampering meters. Power theft in parts of Punjab roughly causes distribution loss to PSPCL to the tune of around 14 per cent.

“This theft of power continues round the year. Even as Punjab suffers power shortage and is buying Rs 12 crore worth power every day, the villagers continue to steal it,” experts say, adding: “Power cost can be brought down by Re 1 per unit if theft is controlled.”

Against the average 10 per cent loss in distribution network, the losses are over 20-50 per cent in urban areas and over 50-79 per cent in rural supply lines.

“We were shocked to find that every second house in rural areas has devices fitted smartly to stop power meters from functioning or even uses permanent ‘kundis’ to steal power,” said a PSPCL field official.

“We are under pressure as these thieves are well-knit with political lobby and raids are often discarded following intervention of MLAs and local politicians,” he said.

“Losses in almost all villages are high as compared to the cities. In many villages, the house owners are not paying more than Rs 500 per month bill despite using three air conditioners throughout the day,” said a PSPCL enforcement wing official.

PSPCL CMD A Venu Prasad confirmed that majority of the distribution losses are recorded on village feeders in the entire state, claiming that the industry is almost under check with only handful of defaulters. “Special campaigns and smart meters are the new norm to check power theft and strict action is initiated once such cases come to the fore. Already fines worth Rs 100 crore and above have been slapped against defaulters,” he said. Sources in the PSPCL confirm that defaulting villagers are backed by farmer unions and even local politicians.