Power theft cases worth 32cr unearthed in M’wada last fiscal

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The state power utility found power theft cases worth nearly Rs 32 crore in Marathwada during the last financial year ending March 2024.
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited revealed that of Rs 32 crore dues, the firm has recovered Rs 28.8 crore from consumers found guilty of power theft.
In a crackdown against errant consumers, MSEDCL had tested 4,698 suspicious power meters in different parts of Marathwada in the last financial year.It had found 3,704 meters drawing power in an unauthorised manner.
Among the three MSEDCL zones in Marathwada, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar reported maximum 1,533 cases of power theft, followed by 1,273 cases in Nanded zone and 898 cases in Latur. The urban areas of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district accounted for 744 power theft cases as against 349 such cases detected in the rural parts.
The joint managing director of MSEDCL for Marathwada, Rahul Gupta, said there would be zero tolerance towards power theft. “Drawing power in an illegal manner is dangerous to human lives and also affects the distribution network due to unaccounted load,” he said.
MSEDCL authorities said tampering with power meter, using metal hooks to draw power from overhead cables and supplying power to neighbours were some of the illegal practices that could attract punishment. “The Electricity Act, 2003, deals with power theft and related offences. If found guilty, the offender can face imprisonment and heavy penalty,” Sunil Jadhav, MSEDCL deputy chief public relations officer for Marathwada, said.