Power pilferage rampant in city

Leaves CPDCL poorer by Rs 235 crore

• 42,305 cases of power theft booked in 2013

• Compunding amount of `4 crore was collected

• Pilferage more rampant in Miralam, Santoshnagar, Karwan, Golconda, Yakutpura and Charminar areas

Hyderabad: Despite suffering a loss of Rs 235 crore apparently due to power pilferage, the Central Power Distribution Company Limited (CPDCL) enforcement wing officials dread to crack the whip on power thieves due to the political clout enjoyed by them in some parts of the city.

When CPDCL enforcement wing (police department) went to Rajendranagar to carry out inspection on complaints of rampant power pilferage and meter tampering two months ago, their attempts were resisted by local people showing their political influence.

The CPDCL’s Vigilance and Security Wing has been booking several cases of pilferage in the city. In 2013, the Vigilance Wing registered 1,805 power theft cases in Hyderabad (South), 1,284 in Hyderabad (Central) and 238 cases in Hyderabad (North).

Out of 8,985 cases booked within the CPDCL jurisdiction in 2013, the Ranga Reddy South circle topped it by accounting for 2,954 cases. CPDCL has booked 42,305 cases of power pilferage in its jurisdiction, which covers 11 circles and seven districts in 2013 and collected compounding amount to the tune of Rs 4.07 crore.

“Direct tapping, bypassing meter and meter tampering are the three types which come under power pilferage and are the common methods to evade payment to which criminal cases can be booked under Section 135 of the Indian Electricity Act,” said K Muralidhar Rao, Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO). People accused of theft of energy under Section 135 of the Electricity Act 2003 could not escape from their civil liability to pay the assessed charges, in exchange for restoration of power supply irrespective of the fact whether they choose to compound (forbear prosecution in exchange for money) the criminal offences or not, he said.

With most customers installing meters inside their houses, the enforcement officials have been finding it difficult to monitor them for pilferage. “Fixing meters inside is against rules. When the officials visit houses they are resisted to carry out their checks,” said an officer of the enforcement wing.

Energy audit wing officials claimed that Miralam, Santoshnagar, Karwan, Golconda, Yakutpura and Charminar areas were high power pilferage locations.

A senior APTransco official, after assuming his new official charges, said that power sector was technology intensive sector which played a pivotal role for the overall economic development of the State. He said that a special mechanism would be adopted to ensure the Anti-power Theft Squads (APTS) of AP Transco in all circles to coordinate with Detection of Pilferage of Energy (DPE) wings in carrying out their field inspection without fear and favour to arrest pilferage of energy, but surprisingly nothing substantial came out of these efforts. The four discoms -- Visakhapatnam-based Eastern Power Distribution Company of AP Limited (EPDCL), Hyderabad -based Central Power Distribution Company of AP Limited (CPDCL), Warangal-based Northern Power Distribution Company of AP Limited (NPDCL) and Tirupati-based Southern Power Distribution Company of AP Limited (SPDCL) -- currently have 3 crore domestic and non-domestic consumers.

CPDCL authorities appealed to people to inform to them cases of power theft over telephone on 040-23431007 (Vigilance Department) or 040-23431093 (Superintending Engineer, Detection of Pilferage of Energy wing, Hyderabad office.