There are no two words about the usefulness of the long-delayed step the Government has taken to put a check on power theft. But what in reality has been detected as the nexus between the consumers and the officials of the PDD is only the tip of the iceberg. The complaining public is vindicated on authorities conducting raids on some business houses and industrial establishments in certain parts in the two capital cities namely Chandnagar and Raghunath Bazar in Jammu and Rangreth in Srinagar. While swooping on the defaulters in these areas the Government has come across two major ways of how power is stolen. One is that some of the involved had managed a parallel power line connecting their business establishments with the main supply line in which case the question of power meter recording the amount of consumption does not arise. The second way of pilferage is that the electric meters are tampered with. Now one will find that in either case it is the ground staff of PDD that is the kingpin in pilferages and without their connivance and knowledge pilferage is not at all possible. A lineman who is supposed to keep watch on power supply lines within his jurisdiction knows each and every consumer of his jurisdiction. Big business houses are his special domain. One fails to understand how can they plead innocent and try to escape the dragnet against corruption? We have often said that in the matter of power theft, it is the ground staff that is answerable in the first place.
But as we said, it is only the tip of the iceberg. There will be many startling disclosures once the Special Enforcement Wing established by the PDD through a formal order and allotted the powers of handling the cases of misuse of power functions fully and without bias and partiality. Since the Power Department is among the portfolios with the Chief Minister, it has become easier for the Enforcement Wing to carry forward the task allotted to it. Recovery of the amount on account of defaults discovered so far is to the tune of 2 crore of rupees. This is the peanuts, and the real picture will be before us after the Enforcement Wing begins operations on wider scales that encompass the entire consumer community. We believe that the theft of electric power is on very large scale in the sector of public consumption. One immediate benefit of government’s action of attaching the concerned engineering staff is that a message will go round and a large number of false or duplicate connections given to influential persons or business houses will get disconnected by the sheer momentum of Government’s action. It has to be recalled that the Government often shielded influential persons and let them do their misdoings with impunity. Now the ground staff is warned of the drastic action by the Government would take to stem the tide. Special Enforcement Wing constituted by the government on the pattern of some more states of the Indian Union has to be given the teeth so that it can bite. Those found tampering with the meters should be given harshest possible punishment because it is a crime and something that will mislead the entire consumer community along a wrong path. The Enforcement Wing should accelerate their activity of checking and enforcing the laws because the summer is on, and the people need electricity to face the harsh summer heat.
But two things have to be take note of by the Enforcement Wing. Firstly, it should ensure that its checking campaign is conducted on permanent and regular basis. Half-hearted or sporadic checking may help corruption get entrenched. Moreover it will be unjust to target a handful and let the vast majority go scot free. The campaign shall have to deal with all sections and segments of society uniformly. Secondly, it has to be ensured that no harassment of public meaning ordinary consumers is permitted. It may happen that out of personal vendetta some Government functionaries might like to misuse the power they are handed down. It has to be made clear to the enforcement team what their powers are to what length they are allowed to utilize these. We hope that with the widening of checking activity there will be some easement in the power position in the State.
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