Power department mulls legal connection through committees
PRAYAGRAJ: Failing to check power thefts in slum areas in the absence of proper address and identification of the persons involved in illegal practice, power department officials are now mulling to constitute committees to allot legal connection to slum dwellers with the help of local corporators and slum landowners.
A junior engineer (JE) of power department, posted at a substation in old city area, said, “People residing in slums belong to low-income groups and cannot afford payment through main meter. A committee can be formed for each slum in the city. It can provide legal connection to consumers and a sub-meter can be installed at each slum for calculation of power consumption every month. In such system, even poor can also afford a legal power connection. The committee concerned will pay the bill after collecting the cash from each consumer as per their consumption. Moreover, subsidy can be given on such connection and social organisations can also contribute to payment of their electricity bills. This system can reduce power snags and will also generate revenue for the department. Bill payment on daily basis can also be done after appointing a staff for slums for this purpose.”
According to officials, illegal ‘katia’ connection not only causes revenue losses to the power department but also results in frequent snags in electricity supply.
Slum dwellers involve in power theft from any of the cable or phase, causing imbalance in transformer and power supply and frequent snags which are often major ones.
Connection through illegal ‘katia’ also causes sparks resulting in power fluctuation which is one of the major reasons, for burning of cables and disruption in electricity supply.
Moreover, ‘katia’ connections also cause clash of electricity cables causing high voltage resulting in damage to appliances and gadgets at homes, they added.
“Nearly all slum dwellers are in habit of using heaters for cooking food instead of using LPG cylinders for the purpose as it cost them almost nothing. A common heater consumes 3000 watt of electricity which is around 1050 unit per month. In contrast, an air condition consumes lesser electricity than a heater used in slums. It is easier to take action against ‘katiamars’ in residential colonies and even in densely populated areas as identification of persons involved is easier after videography during raids. However, slum residents escape even if FIR is lodged for power theft as they have no proper address or identification. As soon as power department team returns back after disconnecting illegal connections, the ‘katias’ are back again on cables,” the JE claimed.
A large cluster of slums exist in Prayagraj many of which are on banks of Yamuna at Kydganj, Parade Ground, Bank Road, Naini, Karelabagh, besides drains in GTB Nagar area of Kareli along with many small ones on private plots across the city.
“Regular raids are being carried out to stop power thefts and action is also being taken against those involved in it, including in slum areas. Legal connection through societies is already in prevalence in apartments etc. If slum dwellers form such society and approach the department for legal power connections then it will be a welcome step,” said Vinod Gangwar, chief engineer distribution.
This system can reduce power snags and will also generate revenue for the department.
A JUNIOR ENGINEER