Published On : Wed, Dec 9th, 2015

Nagpur Today impact: Mega power theft in city’s Nirmal Nagari Township echoes in Assembly

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Nagpur: The contentious issue of large-scale power theft in the newly constructed Nirmal Nagari Township echoed in the Assembly on Day-3 of Winter Session of Maharashtra Legislature being held in the city. BJP’s Sardar Tarasingh and Sharad Dada Sonavane raised the issue of power theft by more than 900 flats and 150 shops in the Nirmal Nagari Township and wanted to know what action was initiated against the builder of the township.

In a terse written reply, Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that the power theft was investigated and action was initiated against the guilty.

It is pertinent to recall that Nagpur Today was the only newspaper that had reported the massive power theft in Nirmal Nagari extensively. Nagpur Today had reported that a recent raid on Nirmal Nagari Township by Spanco Nagpur Discom Limited (SNDL) had not only exposed a mega power theft but also opened a can of worms, pertaining to serious irregularities in the township. Sources revealed that a whopping amount of Rs 82,000 has been recovered from each of the shopkeepers who were provided 2-phase meter customers. Even those owning duplex and bungalows were made to pay much more than the cost of their 3-phase meters. Following SNDL’s action the authorities at Nirmal Nagari had cordoned off the security cover so as to prevent from any further expose. Almost every vehicle and occupants of the vehicle (if not a resident) is checked and asked to enter his name and purpose of visit etc.

In another report by Nagpur Today headlined “Nirmal Nagari builder has to pay double charges as penalty for power theft, reveals expert” it had stated that an Electrical Engineer, a Power Expert, the Energy Forum Chairman of VIA and one of the Directors of MSEB Holding Company R B Goenka had revealed that the offence pertaining to mega power theft as committed by the builder of Nirmal Nagari attracts a penalty of twice the charges to be recovered from the year the power connection was provided to the Builder. He said that the offender is given time to pay the assessed amount or to appeal against the assessed charges. While speaking with Nagpur Today Goenka however said that he was yet to go through the assessment of Nirmal Nagari. Only then could he actually comment on the case, he added. However, in normal circumstances, if the defaulter commits an offence of violating Section 126 of Electricity Act, there is no need to file an FIR, but only a panchanama is conducted. He claimed the Assessment Officer who can be Chief Executive Officer of SNDL has full rights to waive off the offence or to penalize the offender after assessing the gravity of offence committed.

Bawankule assures action against Nirmal Nagari builder

Another report by Nagpur Today had stated that the Energy Ministry Chandrashekhar Bawankule surprisingly was not aware of the uncanny affairs of the builders of Nirmal Nagari. While speaking exclusively to Nagpur Today, Bawankule had said he was taken aback by the revelation of Nirmal Nagari’s misdeeds. He had immediately called his staff and asked him to convene a meeting of SNDL officials to look into the matter of builder of Nirmal Nagari. He also directed him to meanwhile find out why an FIR is not registered against the builder. It could be mentioned here that 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 700-900 flats, 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.