Date:14/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/14/stories/2006021421240300.htm

New Delhi

Industrial unit fined for stealing power

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: In one of the biggest hauls of power theft in North Delhi, the NDPL Enforcement Team has booked an industrial unit in Wazirpur Industrial Area for allegedly stealing close to 276 KW of electricity.

The power distribution company said the industrial unit, M/s Narendar Bros., owned by Narender Kumar, was stealing power by tampering the meter. The industry, engaged in the business of plastic moulding was running three workshops in the same premises and had installed a number of lathe machines, shaper machines and drill machines. A penalty of Rs. 60 lakhs has been imposed on it by NDPL.

In another detection, the power company has imposed a penalty of Rs. 4 lakhs on M/s Internal Traders, who was booked for a load of 20KW, for allegedly tampering with the meter. The owner, Mehak Singh was operating an electroplating unit in Wazirpur village and a case of Dishonest Abstraction of Energy (DAE) has been registered against both the industries, NDPL said.

In other raids in Indira Vikas colony, Gopal Pur slum cluster, Old Chandrawal, B, C, D Blocks, Inderpuri JJ Colony and Sultanpuri, NDPL said about 1,600 illegal hooks for tapping power were removed by its Enforcement Team during the past one week. The residents of these colonies were stealing more than 250 KW of power, it said, adding that the action was only possible due to the support extended by the Delhi Police.

Since starting anti-theft operations, NDPL said it has booked more than 11,000 cases of power theft involving a load of over 161 MW and raised a penalty of Rs. 225 crores.