Maha Vitaran nets Rs 9.3 cr in fines

MUMBAI: The state power utility has raised Rs 9.33 crore as fines after detecting 25,621 power thefts in the last 30 days.

Maha Vitaran, the distribution arm of the state power utility, had launched a statewide drive to detect power thefts and book the guilty. The drive comes in the wake of the state’s move to make power theft a cognisable offence.

Maha Vitaran officials have lodged FIRs in 2,232 cases in various police stations across the state. Total amount of Rs 2.94 crore has been recovered in 2,052 cases.

In urban areas Pune tops the list with the highest number of 8,767 power theft cases followed by 3,315 cases in Nashik zone and 3,916 cases in Beed, Osmanabad, Nanded and Latur districts.

Total 2,916 cases of power thefts have been detected in Nagpur rural and urban zones, another 2,180 cases in Kalyan zone, 2,838 cases in Aurangabad, 1,071 cases in Kolhapur, 317 cases in Bhandup zone, 275 cases in Amravati zone and 26 cases were reported in Konkan zone.

The Vitaran officials used cameras and video recording equipment to book power thefts. Raids were conducted in areas where distribution losses were more than 30%. Teams of 50 officials and employees have been formed to conduct raids in the areas known for heavy power losses.