Orissa plans courts for power theft

 The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by energy minister S N Patro here yesterday and is relevant in the context of high transmission and distribution (T&D) in the state which hover around 42 per cent.

 The move is modelled on anti-power theft drive of Karnataka and follows the recent central legislation -Electricity Act-2003 - that has made power theft a cognigible offence.

 The special courts, consisting of a single judge, will be set up at Cuttack, Khurda, Berhampur, Jeypore, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Balasore and Bhadrak.

 While the government will bear all expenses for constitution and maintenance of the special courts, the four distribution companies (distcos) will fund establishment of the new police stations and police outposts.

 The minister said districts like Boudh, Deogarh, Malkangiri, Nuapada, Gajapati, Nowrangpur and Sonepur districts will have police outposts because of low density of population while the remaining 23 districts will have one police station each.