Rampant Power Theft In Country

Y.S. Rana

The writer is a Hamirpur based Himachali settled in Chandigarh

Despite number of steps to stop power theft, the end result shows that electricity theft is substantial in magnitude. The extent of theft varies with the electoral cycle of the state. Even the use of hi-tech electronic meters and crackdowns by power discoms have failed to check power theft across the country. Power thefts continue to swell and it is one of the biggest contributors to power-deficient country. According to the data compiled by the Union ministry of power (MoP), transmission and distribution losses at the national level were about 22.77% in 2014-15 and 21.81% in 2015-16. Himachal Pradesh incurred less Aggregate technical and Commercial losses than the national average. The state incurred 18.75% transmission and distribution losses in 2015-16 and state is making all out efforts to bring losses to 10% by 2020.  Some states incurred higher losses than the national average in financial year 15-16 and these include states like Madhya Pradesh (28.61%), Rajasthan (29.13%), Chhattisgarh (30.78%), Haryana (31.61%), Odisha (39.15%), Bihar (49.29%) and Jammu and Kashmir (50.06%). It is also estimated that more than 20% of the power generated in the country is lost to rampant thefts. The states with a higher number of theft cases than national capital in the past three years are—Uttrar Pradesh with a little over 1.53 lakh cases, Haryana with 1.64 lakh cases and Madhya Pradesh tops the list of power thefts cases with 3.65 lakh. Apart from that almost all states have power theft cases in industrial, commercial and agriculture consumer categories. Overall, more than 11.46 lakh power theft cases were registered in the last three years in the country.  Mandatory deployment of smart power meters was included in the National Tariff Policy-2016. The MoP has also suggested 100% metering at all levels to ‘facilitate energy audit’ and rationalization of tariffs. The state has achieved more than 90% electrification of households. All villages in districts Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Sirmour, Solan have been electrified. The official of the electricity board (operation) admitted that as yet all consumers have not been provided with hi-tech power meters in the state. The state serves over 22 lakh power consumers with 93,943 kms through different transmission lines. Besides, under Deen Dayal Upathyaya Gram Jyoti Yojna, the state government has been providing free electricity connection to BPL households. Out of 19,578 BPL households that were sanctioned free electricity connections, 16,290 have been provided, compared to Haryana 1.98 lakh and Punjab 92,988 BPL households. Still approximately 4.61 crore households are without power in the country.  Senior official of the MoP says that power- rich country with power-deficient people is because of power thefts. To cope with this deficiency, power theft needs to be checked to save the people from strain of tariff hikes and poor services. At any given time, approximately a third of the state’s more than 22 lakh consumers are typically without electricity. Much of this deficiency is due to non-technical line losses such as electricity theft and meter tempering. Power theft is a state issue and every state should check it to improve the situation in their own state but it is found that hi-tech steps of state governments have failed to check power theft.

260 Power Theft Cases In Himachal

Himachal Pradesh had no power theft cases in 2009 but it has now recorded such 260 cases. According to official data, inspection over 1.10 lakh cases was carried out in 2014-15 detected 260 theft cases accounted for 0.26 MU of power theft costing Rs 5.96 crore. In the region, Haryana tops the list of power thefts. It shows that people continue with their old habits despite stricter laws, implementation and more vigil.

Himachal Tops In Power Consumption

Himachal Pradesh also tops in per capita per month power consumption in rural as well as urban areas with 31.9 units in rural areas and 48.6 units in urban areas which comes out 1099 kWh per capita consumption in the state against 1075 Kwh all India per capita consumption of power.

Himachal-o-Meter

The state’s ups and downs this week

Govt. Approves 121 Drinking Water Schemes  

Shimla: The state appraisal committee of the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department has approved 121 drinking water schemes to provide ample drinking water to 491 townships in the state. The department will spend Rs. 60 crores on these schemes and more amount will be provided to these schemes in future. These townships are located in different districts of Himachal and were struggling with appropriate drinking water supply. Notably, there are about 20,000 such townships in Himachal where drinking water supply in appropriate quanitity yet needs to be supplied. According to sources, state appraisal committee has approved all the drinking water supply schemes proposals made to them and budget provision for the same has also been made. Provisions will be made in the next budget to approve such schemes for other townships too. There are about a total of 53,604 townships in the state for which work is on to provide robust drinking water supply. Different schemes are ready for them and about 20,000 townships are partially covered under schemes.

Poachers Kill Two Leopards

Palampur: Two leopards fell prey to the traps laid by poachers in Balla panchayat in Nagri area of Palampur tehsil. The poachers had installed two wire traps at different places in tea garden in Balla that ultimately proved death trap for leopards. While one of the leopard died on the spot, other died later at Gopalpur zoo. The Forest Department has registered an FIR under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act against unknown persons for killing two leopards in forests of Palampur. DFO Palampur B.S. Yadav said a team of forest officials was scanning the forest area for more wire traps. The poachers, who set up the wire traps, have not been identified. Notably, the leopards are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act and killing them is a non-bailable offence. Due to winter and low temperatures, wild animals migrate from snow bound areas of Dhauladhar wildlife sanctuary to lower hills. However, this migration gives rise to poaching of wild animals.

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