Energy police stations will be opened in six districts of Madhya Pradesh
The talk about opening energy police stations has been going on for more than a decade.
Now, the energy department has sent a proposal in this regard to the govt. The proposal was also put forth before the Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on July 2, when the CM reviewed the works of the energy department.
Sources said that an energy police structure will be established in the state. As per the proposal, in the first phase, one special electricity police station will be set up in each of the six major cities, including Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Rewa, and Ujjain.
In the coming years, these police stations will be established at all district headquarters. These police stations will provide security to inspection teams during checking campaigns, conduct surprise inspections, prepare case diaries, file FIRs against accused under the Electricity Act, and monitor court proceedings to ensure the protection of DISCOM property and recovery of dues under the Recovery of Dues Act.
"The proposal is yet to get a final nod from the govt. It is aimed at putting a check on power theft. Personnel from the home department will be deployed," Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company Limited, Avinash Lawaniya told TOI.
Sources said that distribution losses in the state are far higher than the losses reported in other states like Gujarat. Distribution loss means the energy which is purchased and supplied but could not be billed by the DISCOM. Barring one West DISCOM, the energy losses reported by the two other DISCOMs, central and east, are far above the normative or allowable losses decided by the regulator, said sources.
All these moves, including the installation of smart meters, are aimed at reducing the losses, thus reducing the expenses of the DISCOMs, added sources.
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