Power Theft: Fence itself eating the crops in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The Electricity distribution companies in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, India are facing a bizarre situation of the fence itself eating the crops. The Distribution companies have unearthed many cases of their employees conniving with the high consumption consumers to abet committing Power theft. The power sector employees have all vital data with them such as when would be the designated meter reading days, any chance of surprise inspections by anti-power theft squads etc. Being the technical personnel they would have sufficient knowledge of the functioning of metering equipment and the most vulnerable points in the metering circuit.
The Discoms have conducted surprise inspections among 20000 odd high consumption industrial and commercial consumers the other day and detected huge irregularities, many of them are done with the assistance of their utility staff. In Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Panipat and Rewari sectors coming under the Delhi-NCR, about 96 Million INR(1.3 Million USD) have been detected. Earlier this year, the distribution companies have detected Power theft amounting to 541 Million INR(7.2 Million USD) and consequent to this unprecedented theft statistics the utilities put their employees under the scanner and around 200 of them are found to have a secret deal with consumers to commit Power theft. The weird situation has put the Distribution companies in a double whammy situation of fighting corruption among its staff and detecting Power theft from Consumers.
It is reported that Power theft of 6MW has been detected in a single day of surprise inspection. Engineers of both Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam have participated in the special drive targeting industrial, commercial, hotels and restaurants on the national highway, shopping malls, multi-brand showrooms etc during the drive. Incidentally, in India, commercial consumers have levied the highest tariff among all distribution companies and this is one of the reasons for performing Power theft. It is targeted to increase the revenue to 20000 Million INR(263 Million USD) this year by reduction of various losses and controlling Power theft.
During the surprise inspection, it was revealed that many high consumption consumers are enjoying electricity connection illegally which the Distribution Company seriously comprehended the hands of own employees. In short, the situation in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh electricity Distribution is nothing but “a fox guarding the henhouse” for which early action is required failing which the utilities would be marching towards bankruptcy soon.