Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 31: Electric M&RE Division-III, Jammu of Power Development Department (PDD) today initiated a special drive by launching ‘Inspection week’ to eradicate the menace of power theft. As a part of the drive, 625 inspections were conducted on first day and more than 101 power defaulters were booked under appropriate clause of the State Electricity Act.
During the day-long drive, mass disconnections were also affected thereby removing around 125 kW Illegal/ unauthorized load running on the system. Further, the field officials revealed that 8 inspection squads headed by Vivek Gupta, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), Sub-Division, Canal Road along with Junior Engineers and other field staff conducted a total of 287 inspections in Poonch House, Tirath Nagar, Hazuri Bagh, Sunder Nagar, Bakshi Nagar, Bohri, Nitco Lane, Bhagwati Nagar and adjoining areas, thereby reprimanding 56 illegal connections.
Likewise, 272 simultaneous raids were conducted in Paloura, Bantalab, Thather, Durga Nagar & adjoining areas by 6 inspection squads headed by Ashish Badyal, Assistant Executive Engineer, Sub-Division, Janipur with Junior Engineers, which booked 39 power defaulters under relevant Section of State Electricity Act.
Besides, illegal power connections to a number of jhuggies/temporary hutments were disconnected while also seizing cooking heaters and other heavy load consuming devices running illegally. In addition to Jammu town, 66 inspections were conducted in Akhnoor town by a team lead by S S Manhas, Assistant Executive Engineer, Sub-Division Akhnoor, which detected 6 cases of power irregularities.
Further, some interesting cases of power pilferage were witnessed during the course of inspections. A cluster of ten houses in Pooja Colony were drawing power illegally by direct hooking from LT line. The entire LT line was removed and the said houses were lurked to bear the summer blaze till they get their connections regularized by paying the due penal amount imposed on them.
Sanjay Sharma, Executive Engineer of the Division has asked the public not to indulge in any act of power pilferage as strict action as mandated under rules will be initiated against those resorting to such illegal practices. Since the Department is heading towards installing pre-paid/smart electricity meters, he also advised public to clear their electricity dues immediately in advance.
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