Now, cops will crack down on power thefts

CHENNAI: Police sub inspectors will now have an additional duty apart from the maintenance of law and order. They will be part of a joint monitoring committee working towards the prevention of power theft and its misuse.
The government has constituted committee comprising officials from the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB), district revenue department and the police.The committee headed by the chief electricity inspector will have deputy tahasildars and sub inspectors as its members. The government has asked the committee to file their inspection and action taken reports once every three months.
The monitoring committee will look into all aspects of power theft, misuse of electricity and illegal connections. It will conduct regular inspections in areas where they suspect energy theft or misuse is happening. The TNEB office will provide details regarding the various tariff plans and categories of connections to the monitoring committee which will inspect doubtful connections.
"If a crime is established, the vigilance and enforcement wing of TNEB will sit with the committee and decide on the course of action to be taken," S Appavoo, chief electrical inspector, TNEB, said.
Electricity board officials have already started collecting the list of sub inspectors who will be part of the committee in each district.
Chief minister M Karunanidhi fater reveiwing the functioning of TNEB on July 10 had said that action taken against power theft and misuse of electricity should be strengthened. He also highlighted that several consumers availed domestic connections and subsidised agricultural connections for commercial purposes. The joint monitoring committee was set up as a follow up to this meeting.
Sources said the inclusion of police personnel in the monitoring committee will facilitate a more effective policing of such crimes.