Engineers lack proper training and skills to detect Power theft

Jamshedpur: Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Managing Director has admitted that JBVNL engineers lacked training and skill to establish power thefts by mini-steel plants with induction furnaces, a nagging problem facing the state power conglomerate in its Jamshedpur circle area.

“Our engineers lack proper training and skills to gather evidence to prove industrial power thefts, something that led the state power conglomerate to lose a legal challenge in Jharkhand High Court earlier this year,” Managing Director told the media in response to questions on rampant power thefts by mini-steel plants operating in Ghatshila sub-division and elsewhere in East Singhbhum district.

“We have to tighten our belt in so far as establishing evidence against the power thefts is concerned,” said Managing Director, who was in Jamshedpur on Saturday to meet officials of JBVNL and private agencies engaged in rural and urban electrification projects in the district.
On rural the electrification and underground cabling in city, Managing Director said JBVNL would have to complete both projects by December 2018.

“While the rural electrification project is being carried out smoothly by two private agencies, the work of underground cabling in the steel city is slow. We have, however, decided to get both the projects completed by the end of the year,” he said.

The Managing Director said as of now only 25 per cent work on underground cabling had been done because of delays in procuring material. But the private agencies had received stocks and work would resume soon, he added.

Purwar said the target was to provide electricity to 80,000 houses spread over 1,760 villages in East Singhbhum by the end of 2018. But although electricity had reached villages, all houses had not been connected as yet. “As of now houses in 600 villages have been provided with electricity,” he said.

Managing Director said JBVNL would set up 18 additional power sub-stations in the district – 10 in urban areas – for a more efficient distribution network.[Courtesy:The Telegraph]