RAIDS FETCH PSEB RS 62-CR FINE

Lily

B.R
Staff member
Patiala August 13:
The PSEB has detected power theft worth over Rs 62 crore during a series of raids across the state. Fine worth about Rs 85 lakh was recovered from defaulters during raids in border zone, north zone, central zone and south zone on August 8.
The highest number of power thefts in these raids turned out to be in the farm sector. “During the raids from April 1 to August 10, the board teams checked 5,88,815 connections of which irregularities were detected in 57,475. The exercise fetched us fine worth Rs 55 crore,” revealed a top official of the PSEB. The enforcement wing inspected 9,613 connections between April 1 and July 31 and detected 1,386 cases of regularities. The wing recovered fine worth Rs 5.68 crore, revealed board sources.
The raids conducted across the state on August 8 indicated that if a large number of domestic and commercial consumers in urban areas were resorting to power theft, farmers were also not lagging behind. Officials conducted raids on 1,802 domestic and commercial premises and on 324 farms in Amritsar zones. As many as 109 domestic and commercial consumers were found to be indulging in power theft besides 41 agriculturists. In the north zone, the quantum of power theft was less with only Rs 9.58 lakh recovered as fine there.
As many as 1,438 consumers of all types were subjected to inspection in the biggest central zone comprising Ludhiana, Jagraon, Amloh and Mandi Gobindgarh. Of them, 131 defaulters had to deposit fine worth Rs 27.7 crore. The largest number of power thefts was detected in the southern zone comprising Patiala, Zirakpur, Mohali and Ropar. Of 1,389 consumers subjected to the inspection, fine worth Rs 15.99 lakh was recovered from the defaulters.
 
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