70 pc power consumers in Charminar tamper with their meters

Hyderabad: Charminar zone, the largest energy consumer of the TS Southern Power Distribution (TSSPDCL), has over 6.3 lakh consumers across domestic and industrial categories.

As per audit findings, the Charminar zone also reports the maximum number of power thefts. As on date, it has to recover arrears of around Rs 52 crore, including penalties on power theft, tampering of meters and outstanding bills.

Department officials complain that 70 per cent of domestic consumers in the zone are involved in theft or tampering of meters while many others are allegedly involved in wrong meter readings.

Almost 80 per cent of consumers are from the domestic category, while the others come under the industrial and commercial category.
The zone covers densely populated localities like Charminar, Begum Bazaar and Aramghar while those in the east zone are from Kothapet and Dilsukhnagar. Recovery officials are subject to harrowing times from near-violent mobs when they go for the collection of arrears.

“We need to take support of the PTS wing that comprises probationary police officials attached to TSSPDCL and APTS,” sources in TSSPDCL said.

“Our vigilance teams are engaged in intensive search operations every other day to detect cases. We conduct surprise checks, bookcases against power theft and tampering and slap huge penalties as per the TSSPDCL Violation Act,” a senior official of TSSPDCL said.