New Delhi 15 February 2011

Press Release

High-profile people in posh localities indulging in power-theft

Caught Stealing power:

• South Delhi – ‘Gurukul’ and Guest House

• West Delhi – Local Shopping Complex, Saloon, Playschool and Call Centre

• East Delhi – Injection Moulding factory

• Analytics and technology being used to pin-point power-theft

• Raids part of BSES’ crack-down on power-theft

• Over 300 raids ‘mass’ raids planned between January and March

What is common between a, Guest House, Saloon, Playschool, Call Centre, Injection moulding factory and a ‘Gurukul’? For one, they all have been caught stealing electricity by BSES enforcement teams. Not only that, many of these establishments are housed in up-market and posh South, West and East Delhi locations.

The clampdown on power-theft by BSES discoms over the last few days has unearthed power-theft in most unlikely of places and by most unlikely of people. Many of the people behind these establishments are ‘respected’ figures – even a senior retired army officer.

“BRPL and BYPL are relying heavily on modern analytics and technology for zeroing-down on power-thefts with microscopic accuracy. For this purpose, energy input data from over 9,000 Distribution Transformers (DT) is being constantly collated and analysed by a dedicated teams and power-theft locations narrowed-down significantly”, said a BSES official.

South Delhi

• Gurukul (Shrimad Dayanand Ved Vidyalaya, 119 Gautam Nagar, near South Extension) – This boarding school – running like a ‘Gurukul’ was caught stealing 36 KW of electricity. Modus Operandi. Again using a change-over switch. They have been slapped with a penalty of over Rs 8 lakh.

• Guest House (K – 556, Basti Nizamuddin) – This guest-house catering to the low-budget traveler was caught stealing 19 KW of electricity. A BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) enforcement team inspected the place, accompanied by a Police party. A penalty of Rs 2.81 lakh has been imposed on the same.

West Delhi

• Local Shopping Complex /Saloon (G-1/906 to 909, Dal Mill Road, Uttam Nagar) – A BRPL raid found this commercial complex, housing among other shops, a hair saloon, and welding shop, stealing nearly 22 KW’s of electricity by directly hooking from the nearby BSES LV Mains. No meter was found at site. A penalty amount of Rs 3.93 lakh has been imposed on the premises.

• Playschool and Call Centre (FA -36, First Floor, Shivaji Enclave, near Vishal Cinema) – Both of these were being run from the first floor of the premises on stolen electricity. They were stealing 36 KW of electricity from by-passing the meter. A penalty of Rs 8.20 lakh has been imposed on them.

East Delhi

A BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) enforcement team has caught a Injection moulding factory at House No 1/11701 A Panchsheel Garden Naveen Shahdara stealing a whopping 50 KW of electricity by hooking from the nearby BYPL LV Mains. A penalty amount of Rs 16.5 lakh has been imposed on the accused.

“All the accused have been given notice and time to respond and present their side of the story, before paying the fine. Failing this, a case will be filed against them in the various Special Courts of Electricity”

According to a BSES spokesperson, “This initiative is part of BSES’ well-orchestrated campaign against power-theft. The campaign started in mid-January will continue till March 31, 2011. Under the campaign, BSES discoms plan to under-take 300+ mass raids between January and March. Already over 1500 cases have been booked in South and West Delhi alone in the last 45 days..

BRPL and BYPL, Delhi’s premier power distribution companies are committed to ensuring quality and reliable electricity supply to all their consumers.

For further information please contact:

Prashant Dua	Chandra P Kamat
Corporate Communications	Corporate Communications
39999870 / 9312007822	39999642/9350130304