UPPCL announces amnesty scheme for ‘katiya’ users

The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) on Wednesday announced a new general amnesty scheme for those seeking to regularise their illegal power connections (katiyas) and other irregularities in power connection.

Named ‘Sarvada’, the scheme, it has been claimed, would be a last opportunity for the consumers who are used to pilfering electricity to come in the mainstream without the fear of getting punished.

The scheme will be available to all the single-phase urban and rural domestic power consumers or those who have no power connection but use katias to meet domestic power requirements.

“If any person comes making self-declaration during the scheme period that he is using a katiya connection, or consuming power in access of his sanctioned load or using the connection for the purpose other than one for which it was sanctioned or there is cut in the cable near the meter, the department will take corrective measures without initiating any legal proceedings against him,” a UPPCL spokesman said. The scheme that will remain in effect till June 20 can be availed by making a prior registration with the local electricity office by June 15.

Energy minister Srikant Sharma said this will be the first and last opportunities for irregular consumers to come in the mainstream during the scheme period and after it tough action would be taken against those who did not fall in line.

“The government is going to set up dedicated police stations in all the districts to send power thieves to jail ensuring five years of imprisonment for consumers with a power connection above 10 kw. The power thieves when caught will also be debarred from using power connection for two years,” he claimed.

Sharma said the government wanted to give 24X7 power to all but consumers, he said, would have to pay their bills and desist from using electricity through dishonest means.

Earlier, the UPPCL had declared a scheme waiving off 100% surcharge on electricity bills of defaulters provided they cleared all the dues in one go or in instalments. The scheme is still on.

The govt is going to set up dedicated police stations in all the districts to send power thieves to jail ensuring five years of imprisonment for consumers with a power connection above 10 kw. SRIKANT SHARMA, Energy minister