Online registration of FIR against persons involved in theft of electricity gaining momentum

New Delhi/Jalandhar, August 7, 2013: Online registration of First Information Report (FIR) against the persons involved in theft of electricity is gaining momentum in the State and as many as 4321 FIRs have been registered by the Irrigation and Power police stations since January, 2013.                  

While informing this here today, the Chairman and Managing Director, UHBVN and DHBVN, Devender Singh said that 2255 FIRs had been registered in the month of July alone, which is over 50 per cent of the FIRs registered during the last seven months. Earlier 99, 102, 111, 87, 494 and 1173 FIRs were registered in the month of January, February, March, April, May and June respectively.      

He said that the vigilance and enforcement wing has imparted training to the sub divisional officers of Haryana Power Distribution Corporations in the State regarding prompt registration of FIRs online.   Instructions have been issued to lodge FIRs online in all the cases to avoid delay against the defaulting consumers or persons.

 He said that the discoms plan to provide one thousand laptops and printers to supervisory staff for on the spot action in such cases. Minimum three laptops and printers will be provided to each operation sub division.  A copy of checking report and the assessed amount will be given to the defaulting consumer immediately after detection of irregularity.

The discoms have already fixed 12 hours time for lodging complaints or daily diary reports with the police. It will be the responsibility of the sub divisional officer to report   the theft in the stipulated time period failing which disciplinary action will be initiated against him. 

He said that adequate staff will be made available to the vigilance wing in a phased manner. Discoms will conduct special checking of petrol pumps, shopping malls, theatres, hospitals and other high value consumers.  It is being planned to launch a state level campaign to detect the cases of theft of electricity.

He further stated that the persons involved in stealing electricity will not be spared and stringent action will be initiated against them as per rules. The Civil Courts of Hisar and Bhiwani have also awarded one year imprisonment to the defaulters for stealing power recently. 

Additional Director General of Police, Mohinder Lal said that prompt registration of the cases of power theft will be ensured by police stations.  Police and power department will jointly come forward for massive crack down to unearth the cases of theft of power.