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The Power companies in Bihar have launched a massive operation against electricity theft that is incurring a loss of around 35 per cent and lodged FIRs against atleast 4000 defaulters.
A total of 4000 FIRs were lodged against defaulters across the state after raids last month, H R Panday, Deputy General Manager (Public Relation) Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Limited said in a statement here today.
As part of intensive checking, even residences of power holding companies are being checked for power theft and meters installed where it did not exists, he said.
Pandey said during search operation, a head clerk of South Bihar Power Distribution Company identified as Kumud Sekhar and posted at Gaya was caught for meter tampering. The said official has been put under suspension and departmental proceeding initiated against him, the DGM said. He said that the state has been loosing revenue to the tune of 35 per cent due to power theft. The Power Distribution Company has been collecting a revenue of Rs 250 crore per month against power bills now. It has set a target to enhance the amount to Rs 400 crore in the current financial year. To make the campaign effective and successful, the North and South Bihar Power Distribution Companies Limited have come out with a novel way of promising a reward for providing information on power theft.
As per circular issued by the two Companies, if the information is found true, the informant will get reward any thing between the range of Rs 500 to Rs 25,000 depending on the volume of the theft.
