Noida: Noida Power Company Limited (NPCL) officials reported that 21 individuals from a rural area in Greater Noida were booked as part of an operation aimed at curbing alleged power theft. During the operation, cases of electricity theft totalling ₹35 Lakh were uncovered.
The drive was conducted in various locations, including Ghodi Baccheda, Sirsa of Kasna, and villages Bisaich and Aichhar, where power theft was detected in 50 shops, a private school, a private nursing home, a garment factory, and an RO plant, among other establishments.
Manoj Jha, spokesperson for NPCL, said, “In the course of the raids, residents were found to be engaging in power theft by illicitly connecting to power cables. Some were employing hooks at power poles to tap into the power supply. These illicit activities were predominantly carried out during late-night hours. Offending consumers were caught using pilfered electricity to operate flour mills, shops, and various other setups. Substantial fines were imposed, leading to a recovery of ₹35 Lakh. FIRs have been lodged against the offenders, citing relevant sections of the Electricity Act.”
Jha also mentioned that among the 21 people booked, 10 have already faced disconnections, and authorities seized power cables, hooks, and other tools used in the act of theft.
Over the last four months, NPCL’s data revealed a staggering 2,762 instances of power theft in the region. These cases resulted in registration at anti-power theft police stations, leading to the recovery of ₹16.89 crore from the offenders during the four-month anti-theft campaign.
Officials revealed that enforcement activities will be further intensified in the future, targeting the capture of offenders.
