PDD conducts surprise inspections, penalizes many for power theft

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 23: Electric M&RE Division-III, Jammu conducted over 250 surprise inspections today in different localities of Jammu city under its jurisdiction in order to eradicate the menace of power theft.
During the drive, as many as 15 FIRs have been lodged against the defaulters for taking necessary action under Section 95 (1) of the J&K State Electricity Regularity Act. Besides, officials have imposed on-spot penalties to the erring consumers.
The drive was launched under the guidance and instructions of Er Sanjay Sharma, Executive Engineer EMRE Division-III, Jammu who stated that in order to check such instances, five inspection teams were constituted headed by Assistant Engineers and Junior Engineers for conducting simultaneous inspections.
During the drive the teams detected 70 power theft cases for violations such as meter tampering, unauthorized excess load drawl, illegal hooking etc and seized electric gadgets including cooking heaters etc.
A team from EMRE Sub-Division Canal, headed by Er Anil Abrol, Assistant Executive Engineer and assisted by Er Amjad Parvez, Assistant Engineer and concerned line staff, conducted a total of 42 inspections in Bhagwati Nagar and adjoining areas regularizing 25 kw unauthorized load.
Sharma informed that another team from EMRE Canal Sub-Division, headed by Er Rajeev Vaid, Assistant Engineer, conducted inspections in Shiv Nagar and adjoining areas and regularizing 50 kw unauthorized loads.
Inspection team from EMRE Sub-Division Janipur, headed by Er Rakesh Lochan, Junior Engineer conducted 21 inspections in Buta Nagar, Lane No. 4 and seized a large number of cooking heaters from the area, Sharma said, adding that similar inspection teams from EMRE Sub-Division Jaurian, headed by Er Bhopinder Singh, Assistant Executive Engineer conducted 27 inspections, and regularized around 17 unregistered connections.
Another team from EMRE Sub-Division Akhnoor led by Er Charanjeet Singh, Assistant Engineer and assisted by line staff conducted inspections in Dhok Khalsa, Akhnoor while regularizing 20 kw unauthorized load.