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The bastions of the powerful ruling politicians in Punjab are witnessing unbridled power theft.
Sample this: Lambi — the constituency of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, which has privilege of uninterrupted power supply — suffers around 32% distribution losses.
The losses are maximum —between 30% to 40% — in divisions where powerful Akalis are ministers.
This was revealed in a confidential document of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited accessed by Hindustan Times.
The average distribution loss in Punjab was 13.4% (2014-15) and 12.71% (2015-16).
Distribution losses refer to the difference between the amount of energy delivered to the distribution system from the transmission system and the amount of energy customers are billed.
According to officials, the primary reason for distribution losses is pilferage followed by defective meters, and errors in meter-reading. The technical reasons include power lost due to resistance in wires.
The pilferage goes unchecked as power officials are wary of conducting raids in areas ruled by influential politicians.
The management information report (MIR) reveals that Jalalabad (Sukhbir Singh Badal) PSPCL division witnessed 31% distribution losses in 2014-15. The figures for Patti (Adaish Partap Kairon), Rampura Phul (Sikandar Singh Maluka), Bhikhiwind (Virsa Singh Valtoha) and sub-urban Amritsar divisions (supplying power to Majitha, a constituency represented by Bikram Singh Majithia) — are 35%, 30, 37% and 42%, respectively.
The distribution losses for two years are worth nearly`883 crore in these divisions. Overall, the losses are highest (38%) in Malout.
Surprisingly, the two industrial divisions — Ludhiana focal point and Gobindgarh— have reported low distribution losses of 3.22% and 2.63%, respectively.
The Patiala west division has lowest distribution loss —1%.
A PSPCL official, pleading anonymity, said: “The top brass of the corporation is aware of theft in these areas. The MIR report of last three years clearly indicates that losses in PSPCL’s Badal division have remained above 30%. However, our officers are helpless. One of our enforcement teams was beaten up and locked in Majitha and Bhikhiwind. But no FIR was registered.”
“The enforcement and anti-theft squads are not allowed to conduct raids in areas represented by powerful ministers,” said another official.
