As violence erupted over a survey of an ancient mosque in Sambhal, the Uttar Pradesh government stepped up its crackdown on power theft in the tense city, including the disputed structure.
After power officials claimed to have found illegal electricity connections in “several mosques and madrasas”, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told the state assembly that “mini-power stations” were being operated from religious places in Sambhal. While Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited’s (UPPCL) line loss in the state was less than 30%, Adityanath said, line loss in some localities in Sambhal was more than 75%, calling it a “loot of the country’s resources”.
Sambhal Samajwadi Party MP Zia ur Rahman Barak, who is facing trial for the November 24 violence in Sambhal, has been fined Rs 19.1 million for electricity theft and threatened with confiscation of his property if he does not pay the dues. 15 days. Electricity supply to his Sambhal residence has been cut off, while his father, Mamlukur Rahman Barak, has also been booked for threatening electricity officials during an inspection of their residence.
On Thursday, the power department launched a similar drive in Moradabad division, which includes Sambhal district, with commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh ordering a strict check for power theft at all religious places.
The orders were passed at a divisional review meeting attended by senior officials including district magistrates of Bijnor, Rampur, Amroha and Sambhal. Singh said officials should check electricity meters in temples, mosques, gurudwaras and churches in all districts of the division.
According to senior officials of UPPCL, the action in Sambhal may have brought attention to the fact that the drive against power theft in the state is regular and ongoing. What’s different this time, they say, is that inspections are being conducted in areas that report “significant power outages.”
According to them, among the districts they identified after the survey, where “targeted inspections” are being carried out, include Budaun, Bareilly, Lakhimpur Kheri, Moradabad and others. On Saturday, officials said, residents of Budaun and Rampur protested after the team arrived for inspection and the locals intervened to resolve the matter. “We have a WhatsApp group where officials share updates, including photographs, of the protests taking place in their respective districts,” said an official at the Lucknow headquarters.
An official said that in the past three months, new guidelines have come out on how and when to conduct inspections. “We keep detailed records of consumption patterns to identify areas in sub-stations where power consumption is high but revenue collection is low,” the official said.
Although the state will generate around 7,000 MW of electricity, the daily consumption can reach 15,000 MW even in winter, the official said. “It is estimated that 20-22% of the total supply is lost due to power theft and other reasons.”
As part of its campaign, the Energy Department is also replacing old electricity meters with smart meters, and upgrading electrical wiring to protect against damage and theft.
Earlier this week, UPPCL Chairman Dr Ashish Kumar Goyal directed that efforts to control power theft need more push. The department recently announced a one-time settlement scheme to boost bill collection.
In Sambhal, officials said, the operation has been going on for four months, and has been intensified in the past few days as it has moved into densely populated areas where police have been deployed to avoid any trouble. Three drone cameras are being used to identify buildings and houses with unauthorized electricity connections.
“In the last four days, we have identified 196 places of illegal electricity connection and registered a case. It includes five mosques and one madrassa,” Vinod Kumar Gupta, Superintendent Engineer (Power), Sambhal, told The Indian Express.
SP Sambhal district president Asghar Ali said they had no problem with any checks against power theft, but the regular process had been turned into “targeted raids at the behest of political leaders”. Ali pointed to the action in four Muslim-majority areas of Sambhal.
Regarding the action against MP Barak, Ali said he belonged to a prominent political family, with his grandfather Shafiqur Rahman Barak, who died earlier this year, a longtime MP. “Zia ur Rehman was an MLA before becoming an MP. Is there any point in accusing someone of your stature of stealing electricity?” Ali said.
Gupta denied allegations of selective action or acting on special complaints, saying: “We have registered an FIR against a mosque and all houses found using illegal electricity connections (in Sambhal).”
BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said: “The FIR against MP Zia ur Rehman was filed after a preliminary investigation, and it is about people responsible for making the law being involved in such activities… SP should take action against him instead of protecting him.”
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