The builder was distributing private power bills to residents
Nagpur: In what could be mentioned as the high and mighty can always get away with almost everything they do. In an incident that occurred recently, when the authorities of the power distribution company raided a very prominent builder who was stealing power and supplying the same to his township, sources said that the officials received many calls and were under duress from taking any action against the erring builder.
The surprise raid conducted by SNDL officials created ripples in the city and as expected, the franchisee was under tremendous political pressure to settle the matter amicably. The undue pressure or duress hampered the exact assessment of the power utilized illegally. Many influential political leaders are said to have allegedly telephoned SNDL officials and had allegedly directed them to stop the vigilance activity. Sources also informed that a team had also faced opposition from a group of goons who were armed with sticks and rods when these officials moved in for surprise checks
While speaking to Nagpur Today, some very prominent citizens told on condition of anonymity that if a normal citizen commits a small power theft, a big hue and cry is made and a legal action is immediately initiated against the accused promptly. Many office-bearers of trade bodies in the city too told Nagpur Today that they don’t spare any trader or businessmen and are prompt to charge rates on Commercial rates and in fact, the officials of SNDL are said to make a demand for payment of charges from the time the business started with a hefty fine for availing normal domestic supply for commercial use.
Why such special favours to the Builder of Nirmal Nagari?
The Builder of Nirmal Nagari did not only draw illegal power for such a long time but had committed forgery by issuing his own electric bills. Why did the officials not lodge any police complaint against the erring builder so far?
While speaking to Nagpur Today, Public Relations Officer of SNDL Dipanshu Khirwadkar told that they are in the process of assessing the extent of illegal power utilized. Once the assessment is over, they will certainly press charges and initiate a legal action against the erring builder. PRO Dipanshu claimed that they have already severed all illegal power supply to the township and have also sealed the Distribution Point (DP) etc. He claimed that once they get all the data of the extent of the illegal power procured and the billed amount, they will file a police complaint. He claimed that they have taken both a video as well as still photography of all the illegal wiring, the heavy equipments which were run by the illegal power supply etc. He claimed that once the assessment is over
It could be mentioned that a team of Spanco Nagpur Discom Ltd (SNDL) unearthed one of the biggest power thefts in the city worth crores of rupees at Nirmal Nagari residential project at Nandanwan late in the night on August 24, 2015. Acting on tip-off, the team from SNDL swooped at Nirmal Nagari only to be shocked and flabbergasted at what they unearthed.
They found that the entire project which contains around 700-900flats, 40 bungalows and150 shops were stealing power.
Sources informed that a Power sub-station with capacity of 33 KV was installed at the township to ensure a smooth power supply to the residents of Nirmal Nagari. However, the builder had circumvented the Electricity Laws and had directly provided power from the Distribution Point (DP) without any billing.
To add to one crime of drawing power illegally, the builder had himself installed his own meters at the bungalows and was generating own power bills for the residents, which is considered as a forgery since only the MSEDCL authorities or its franchise can generate the bills.
Sources informed that the builder had also constructed a huge temple in the premises and the entire construction and lightning works was done using illegally procured power. The builder had laid power line directly from DP, the sources added. During the raid, the officials had found that many heavy electrical equipment which include Motors, a crane, crusher-machine, grinding-machine etc were being run on stolen power.
The builder had applied for the disconnection of the temporary meters which were installed for the construction works of the township.
Later as the SNDL disconnected the meters, the builders allegedly started his own power supply to flats of the scheme and billed through his own meters.
… By Samuel Gunashekran
