Lesa drive nets Rs 1 cr revenue

LUCKNOW: During the intensive combing drive that began on July 5 to check power theft, the Lucknow Electric Supply Administration (Lesa) has realised revenue of Rs 1.19 crore.
During the drive, 184 defaulters were arrested. Besides, connections of 860 consumers were snapped and electromechanical meters of 2,238 consumers were replaced with new Chinese electronic meters.
GM Lesa SS Puri said that during the drive 5,135 connections were checked, of which, there were 320 cases of theft. While 61 consumers agreed to pay a penalty of Rs 11.21 lakh, the Lesa lodged FIRs against 256 consumers, of which, 184 defaulters were arrested.
Coordinator of the drive, executive engineer I Sheikh said the morning drive to check katiya connections was particularly successful in bringing down the number of defaulters by 290, while also earning revenue of Rs 11.21 lakh.
Also, while in earlier drives, they were not successful in replacing the electromechanical meters with the Chinese electronic meters in the Kaiserbagh and Rajajipuram areas, this time meters were replaced in these areas also.
During the drive, 91 consumers were caught using additional load, for which a combined assessment, of Rs 23.47 lakh, with cases of change of tariff was also fixed. The Lesa also collected an amount of Rs 93.21 lakh as payment against pending bills.
Meanwhile, on the 25th day of the intensive combing drive, the Lesa team caught 10 defaulters and lodged FIRs against them. All the defaulters were arrested.
During the raids which were conducted in the LDA colony, Utretia, A-block Indiranagar, Charbagh and Hazaratganj areas, Lesa realised revenue of Rs 38,000.
While there were 4 disconnections, 10 meters were replaced during the drive in which 96 connections were checked.