New Delhi, June 9, 2006

Press Release

BSES unearths 362 cases of power theft in Darya Ganj and Chandani Chowk

Totaling 3150 KW, amounting to nearly Rs 9 crore in penalties

• Since January 2006, BSES has detected 256 cases and 106 cases of power theft in Darya Ganj and Chandani Chowk respectively
• In Darya Ganj and Chandani Chowk, BSES has detected power theft of 3150 KW
• Cumulative penalties of nearly Rs 9 crore levied in Darya Ganj and Chandani Chowk cases
• Electroplating factory caught stealing 115 KW of power in Darya Ganj, Rs 35 lakh in penalties
• Rudraksh Castle – a 30 plus room and a well to do hotel booked for 128 KW of theft, Rs 18 lakh in penalties
• Increased BSES success in curbing power theft partially attributed to customer’s coming out against power theft

BSES’ intensified campaign against power theft is gaining momentum. BSES has started micro managing its anti power theft activities and has adopted an area based approach. Recently BSES Enforcement Teams in Central Delhi detected power theft of 245 KW, amounting to nearly Rs 58 lakh in penalties.

Meanwhile BSES Enforcement Teams have unearthed colossal amounts of power theft in Central Delhi – particularly in Darya Gang and Chandani Chowk.  From January 2006 till now, BSES Enforcement Teams have unearthed 256 cases (DT 238, DAE 18) and 106 cases (DT 73, DAE 33) of power theft in Darya Ganj and Chandani Chowk area respectively. Cumulative penalties of nearly Rs 9 crore have been imposed for a load totaling 3150 KW (DT 2632 KW, DAE 518 KW).

(A) In a midnight raid, Electroplating factory in Darya Ganj caught stealing 115 KW of power

After a continuous vigil of more than 15 days, BSES Enforcement Teams swooped down on an electroplating factory at 3955, Chandni Mahal, Darya Ganj and caught it stealing electricity of over 115 KW. The factory, owned by one Mustafa (consumer) was stealing electricity by directly hooking from the nearby BSES LV mains. A penalty of around Rs 35 lakh is liable to be imposed on the customer. A FIR is being lodged.

(B) Rudraksh Castle – a 30 plus room hotel in Karol Bagh booked for 128 KW power theft

Recently BSES Enforcement Teams caught Rudraksh Castle, a well appointed hotel with 30 rooms (mostly air conditioned) and with good occupancy levels indulging in power theft of nearly 130 KW. This hotel on Shankar Road had tampered his 3 phase CT meter. The hotel has been booked for Dishonest Abstraction of Energy (DAE) as per DERC guidelines. A penalty of over Rs 23 lakh is liable to be imposed.

According to a BSES spokesperson “BSES customers have started coming out against power theft and leaving tip off’s on our anti power theft numbers – 39999888 (BYPL) and 39999777 (BRPL). This welcome trend is partially responsible for BSES’ increased success in detecting power theft”.

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