‘Money overcharged from power consumers will be returned’

LUCKNOW:Energy minister Shrikant Sharma on Monday said the state government will ensure that the money overcharged as electricity duty from unmetered rural domestic consumers during the previous regime was returned to the consumers concerned.

He also said action will be taken against the officials found responsible for illegally charging electricity duty at the rate of 20% in place of 5% prescribed in the rules.

The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) has already corrected the mistake prospectively after having overcharged consumers for the last five years.

The minister gave an assurance in this regard to UP Rajya Vidyut Upbhokta Parishad president Awadhesh Kumar Verma when during a meeting here.

“The minister assured us of adjusting the money overcharged as electricity duty in the affected consumers’ bills,” Verma said.

518 FEEDERS HAVE OVER 30% LINE LOSSES

The UPPCL on Monday claimed to have identified 518 feeders with line losses above 30% following energy audit of all the feeders in Lucknow alone, 1047 feeders that 88 of the 1047 feeders audited were found to have more than 30% losses.

“Discom MDs have been asked to conduct mass raids on all such feeders to check power theft,” Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd chairman Alok Kumar said.