Nagpur: Contractors of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) allegedly resorted to power theft while installing decorative lighting for the upcoming Civil20 Inception Conference being held in Nagpur and were fined by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd (MSEDCL), a media report said on Sunday.
The MSEDCL detected power thefts at seven locations in Nagpur, the power company stated in a release. The contractors had sourced electricity for decorative lighting from street light poles, it was stated.
The NMC is charged a subsidised rate of Rs 7.51 per unit for the street lights, while the power company charges Rs 13 per unit for a temporary power connection. Hence, the contractors indulged in power thefts, the report said.
The state-owned power company imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the contractors for the power thefts and wrote to the civic body to get authorised power connections.
Earlier this week, the MSEDCL initiated action at Somalwada Square and Civil Lines against contractors under the Electricity Act and recovered Rs 18,630 fine. A similar action was taken at six other places in the city and Rs 30,000 was collected in fines, it was stated.
More than 200 delegates from India and abroad will be attending the Civil20 Inception Conference scheduled to be held in the city from March 20 to 22.
Shockingly, the NMC contractors were found indulging in power thefts for their lighting decorations. Subsequently, MSEDCL swung into action after receiving the inputs and detected power thefts at seven places.
According to MSEDCL, a fine of Rs 50,000 was recovered from the contractors for the power thefts. A letter was also sent to the NMC administration by MSEDCL officials urging them to take authorised power connections for the lighting. So far, the NMC has applied for authorised power connections at 13 places — eight in Congress Nagar division and four in Civil Lines.
Apart from this, new applications have been received by MSEDCL from NMC for electricity connections at nine places. However, the MSEDCL has found that illegal power connections are being used by some contractors for lighting at some places. The state-run power company officials have seized the wires and taken action against those concerned.
