Despite free units, power theft rampant in Tarn Taran Powercom circle

The Tarn Taran circle of Powercom has been known as the hotbed of elements involved in power theft for decades. Being a border belt and also as an area known for its involvement during the days of militancy, the officials were hesitant in checking power theft which has made the consumers habituated to power theft. The trend still prevails in the area. The circle is not only notorious for power theft but also for defaulting on payment. Being a stronghold of farmer unions too has been a factor instrumental in encouraging power theft by consumers.

Some consumers who have contacts with senior and influential politicians also take advantage of it. Though the state government is giving the facility of free power to consumers, still power theft in this border area has been causing heavy losses to the Powercom. The customers take direct power supply from the cables and it is not recorded in the meter installed by the Powercom to supply power to the consumers. This is visible at every point in the rural and urban areas. In case when teams come to check power theft in the villages, the Powercom employees face opposition from the residents. Recently, a team of the Powercom visited the Vein Poin village where it was attacked. Some village elders too were involved in the assault and the Powercom employees had to launch an agitation for action against the alleged accused for assaulting the Powercom team members.

The Powercom officials too are disturbed over the theft of electricity. Sources in the Powercom circle office revealed that teams of the Powercom checked about 60,000 connections of which 2,378 were found to be causing losses through power theft or other techniques. Most consumers stealing power take direct supply from the main cables. The consumers stealing power were fined Rs 5.14 crore of which fine worth Rs 1.15 crore has been received.

The Patti division tops in stealing power as out of the 7,602 connection checked, 438 cases were detected involved in stealing power. A fine of Rs 2.35 crore was imposed and Rs 61.36 lakh has been received. The consumers of Tarn Taran city circle come second in stealing power where of the 12,807 connections checked, 579 were detected stealing power on whom a fine of Rs 88.07 lakh was imposed. Patti is the native town of Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar who also is representing Patti Vidhan Sabha constituency at present.

The consumers of Rayya sub-division are comparatively sincere and refrain from stealing power. In this division, out of 14,851 connections checked, only 488 were detected stealing power. They were imposed a fine of Rs 39.43 lakh of which Rs 9 lakh has been received.

Powercom circle office sources revealed that the Bhikhiwind division, Amarkot and Khemkaran sub-divisions, are notorious for power theft.

Amritsar