Discom writes to L-G, seeks additional security deployment to curb power thefts

new delhi: One of the three major power discoms in Delhi has now written to Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal, requesting that additional police support be provided to them to curb power theft, rampant in some areas of the

Capital.

Significantly, the letter, which was forwarded to the Delhi Police by the L-G's office, as per sources, also added that till the 2009 General Elections, central paramilitary forces, more specifically, the CISF, was deployed with them for security.

From 2006 to 2009, the three discoms had been provided with CISF personnel for effective enforcement activities, the letter read.

"With the deployment of CISF personnel excellent results were seen and A&TC losses could be reduced to the extent of 4 per cent per year in NCT of Delhi. In April 2009, because of Parliamentary election, the companies of CISF were called back and thereafter were not deployed with Delhi discoms," the letter

read.

According to the discom, since the withdrawal of CISF in 2010, they have been continuously taking up with Delhi Government and Delhi Police through letters that they should get an adequate number of Delhi Police personnel to support them in preventing theft of electricity and reduce A&TC losses.

"However the number of police personnel provided to the discom for conducting loss reduction operations in areas are still found inadequate, and needs to be scaled up drastically to enable us to conduct raids operations more proactively," the discom wrote in the letter.

The discom also mentioned the areas where the power company has suffered losses due to power theft.

"There are a number of pockets, villages in North West, suburban areas of Narela and Bawana in Delhi, names Auchandi, Katewara, Mubarakpur Dabas, Bajeetpur, Ghewra, Madanpur Dabas, Singhu, Ghogha, Khera Khurd, Kanjhawala, Alipur, Singhola, to name a few, where losses are still prevailing. In some of the areas, the losses are as high as up to 60 per cent," read the

letter.

As per the letter with continuous efforts to reduce the theft of electricity, discoms have now reached to a level where theft in the majority of areas have been reduced to minimal barring some left out pockets which are still having very high losses and they have not been able to control theft in such areas owning to law and order situation.

They added that their enforcement teams have to face manhandling, excessive consumer hindrance, a false allegation of molestation, frequent tampering of the network element, local goons creating mob attack, stone pelting, lesser support from the police due to their compulsions and priorities, when they visit those areas where losses are reported more.

Further, they requested LG to intervene in the matter and provide them with adequate security.