National Times Bureau :- In a targeted drive against power theft, the Jalandhar Circle Electricity Department conducted a large-scale inspection across five divisions, penalizing 33 consumers for illegal electricity use and system misuse.
1,242 Connections Inspected, 33 Defaulters Fined
Special checking teams inspected 1,242 electricity connections, identifying 33 cases involving direct theft, overloading, and unauthorized commercial use of domestic power connections. A cumulative fine of ₹8.53 lakh has been imposed on the defaulters.
Direct Theft and Overload Cases Detected
Out of the total, 13 cases were related to direct theft, resulting in a fine of ₹6.95 lakh. The remaining 20 cases involved exceeding sanctioned loads and using domestic connections for commercial purposes, causing damage to transformers and affecting the power supply system.
Division-Wise Action
Model Town Division recorded the highest penalty, imposing ₹3.57 lakh on eight cases of direct theft from 343 checked connections. East Division levied ₹2.50 lakh, Cantt Division ₹1.41 lakh, Phagwara Division ₹85,000, and West Division ₹20,000.
Crackdown Intensified Amid Increased AC Usage
Deputy Chief Engineer Gulshan Chutani directed 18 teams to conduct the special drive simultaneously across all five divisions. He stated that power theft tends to rise during humid and hot weather as air conditioner usage spikes, leading to overconsumption and illegal tapping of electricity.
