Rampant power theft sparks concern in Mumbai

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Many hawkers illegally draw power from the poles or from housing societies by either threatening or bribing office-bearers.Stealing electricity from streetlight poles or from other consumers including domestic and commercial users is rampant in Mumbai not just during the festival season but round-the-year.

Many hawkers illegally draw power from the poles or from housing societies by either threatening or bribing office-bearers. Domestic power tariffs are cheaper than commercial ones.

Activist G.R. Vora who also represents the F-north ward Citizens’ Federation told this correspondent here on Monday that ultimately it is the ordinary citizen who pays for the rampant power theft that occurs all over Mumbai.

Last week the Bombay High Court directed the authorities to set up a special cell comprising police officers and officials of the vigilance department of the Bombay Electric Supply and Transport undertaking (BEST) to curb power thefts by ‘sarvajanik’ (public) Ganesh mandals and those organising the ‘Navratri’ festival.

The cells are to be headed by a deputy commissioner of police (enforcement) and are supposed to monitor temporary power connections given to the organisers of the festival. In Mumbai the civic body-owned BEST distributes power in the island city while private players distribute electricity in the suburbs.

In some suburbs Thane and Navi Mumbai (and in the rest of the state) the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) a state government-owned agency distributes power. MSEDCL has this year told Ganesh mandals that they can apply for temporary power connections online and approval would be given in 24 hours.

However despite these measures there is rampant power theft across the state. Many of the organisers do not want to pay for electricity and would rather steal it from streetlight poles or draw it illegally from housing societies. Besides depriving the power companies of revenue such illegal drawing of electricity also results in short-circuits and endangers lives.

Mumbai’s police commissioner Rakesh Maria had last month convened a meeting of power distribution companies to find out ways to prevent thefts during festivals. A public interest litigation in the Bombay high court had sought directions to the police to prevent such thefts.

Vora points out that while there is an increase in power thefts during major festivals in Mumbai even at other times many illegal hawkers steal electricity. He has urged the authorities to set up helplines so that citizens can report power thefts directly to the vigilance cells.

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