Heavy loss toWBSEDCL due to Power theft .

Kolkata: The state Power department has been incurring a huge loss caused due to the incidents of power theft in the districts. State Power minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay has laid an emphasis on creating awareness among the people in those districts where maximum cases of power thefts have been reported so far. The minister has already clarified his stand that the Power department would not take any coercive steps against those who indulge in illegal activities. The minister has repeatedly urged the people in villages to take a new connection as the government is providing electricity at a cheaper rate. The number of new electricity connections has gone up manifold in the state due to a sustained campaign carried out by the Power department. The department has instructed the officials in the district to check the incidents of theft not by adopting any stringent methods, but by making the villagers aware about how it would have an adverse impact on the state’s exchequer.

It has been learnt that the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) has been incurring a loss of thousands of crores due to power theft. Most of the incidents have been reported from South 24-Parganas, where the Power department has met a loss of Rs 886 crore, followed by Murshidabad and Birbhum. According to sources, the amount of losses in Murshidabad stands at around Rs 691 crore, while in case of Birbhum the figure stands at Rs 675 crore.

Courtesy:- Millennium post [No half truths]